A wildfire has struck the Mount Biru area located in the Anjasmoro Mountains, Mojokerto, East Java. To anticipate safety hazards for residents and tourists, local authorities decided to temporarily close the hiking trail to Bukit Cendono starting Wednesday (15/7/2026).
Head of the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park (Tahura) UPT, Agustiningtyas, confirmed that the burned area lies within the RKW 06 West Mojokerto conservation area, specifically around Gumeng and Begaganlimo Villages, Gondang District. Plumes of white smoke were seen billowing high from a distance, indicating that the blaze is still active on one of the mountain peaks.
The main obstacle in the firefighting process is the extremely challenging terrain. Agustiningtyas mentioned that the hotspot is located on a steep, ravine-filled hillside that is difficult to access with manual equipment. Nevertheless, Tahura has alerted four firefighting teams and continues to coordinate intensively with the Mojokerto Regency BPBD, East Java Province BPBD, and the police.
Separately, the Acting Head of the Mojokerto Regency BPBD, Rinaldi Rizal Sabirin, explained that the fire was first detected on Tuesday (14/7/2026) afternoon. Flames were clearly visible from the direction of Mrasih Hamlet, Kemiri Village, Pacet District, which prompted a swift response from the joint team to establish an emergency command post at the nearest hiking post.
As of now, joint officers remain on standby at the Bukit Cendono Hiking Post while mapping out the best route to reach the hotspots. Authorities urge the public and hikers to comply with the closure order to avoid fatal risks from the fire, which is not yet fully under control.
