Probolinggo, East Java (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Forestry Ministry has deployed an expert team to investigate alleged criminal offenses behind recent forest and land fires in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) in East Java.
Head of the ministry’s Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Regional Law Enforcement Office Aswin Bangun said in a press release received here on Monday that the team comprises civil servant investigators (PPNS) from the office and two experts from IPB University.
The experts – Professor Bambang Hero Saharjo, a specialist in forest and land fires, and Professor Basuki Wasis, an expert in soil and environmental damage – collected samples from fire-affected areas in Sariwani Village, Probolinggo District.
“During the activity, PPNS from the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Regional Law Enforcement Office accompanied the experts, along with TNBTS forest rangers,” Bangun said.
He explained that the team collected samples from five plots in the affected area, including composite soil, undisturbed soil, undergrowth from the burned ground, and charcoal. Soil from an unburned plot was also collected as a control baseline for laboratory testing.
“The involvement of experts is necessary to provide data supporting the investigation process. Sampling is a crucial part of this inquiry,” he emphasized.
The laboratory results will serve as important evidence to uncover the facts behind the fires incident and determine the subsequent legal steps.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement Dwi Januanto Nugroho stressed that the national park has significant ecological, social, and economic value. He said the fires have disrupted environmental functions, local livelihoods, and tourism activities that depend on the area’s preservation.
“The impacts and losses caused by the fires must be clearly determined through an accountable investigation. If criminal acts are found, the investigation results will become part of the law enforcement process to ensure that those proven responsible are held accountable,” Nugroho said.
The ministry is continuing its investigation based on facts and evidence found at the site. The expert analysis will be incorporated into the final report to determine the fires’ overall impact on the ecosystem and guide further legal measures.
In August 2026, the fires burned approximately 1,120.3 hectares of land across Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Lumajang, and Malang districts.
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Translator: Zumrotun Solichah, Uyu Liman
Editor: Primayanti
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