Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Ministry of Forestry, through the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Forest Law Enforcement Agency under the Directorate General of Forest Law Enforcement (Ditjen Gakkum Kehutanan), is actively investigating potential criminal acts surrounding the recent wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS).
To support the ongoing investigation, Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) from the Law Enforcement Agency alongside TNBTS Forest Police escorted two prominent experts from IPB University to collect field samples aimed at assessing environmental degradation and soil damage on August 29, 2026. The expert team comprised Prof. Bambang Hero Saharjo, an authority on forest and land fires, and Prof. Basuki Wasis, an expert in soil and environmental damage, both from IPB University’s Faculty of Forestry and Environment. Field sampling was conducted across affected sites in Sariwani Village, Sukapura District, Probolinggo Regency, East Java.
The experts collected samples across five designated plots within the fire-impacted area. The gathered materials included composite soil, undisturbed soil cores, understory vegetation growing above burned ground, and charcoal. To establish a scientific baseline, soil samples were also drawn from an unburned plot to serve as a control comparator, with all specimens subsequently sent for formal laboratory testing.
Director General of Forest Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, emphasized that Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is a critical conservation area holding vital ecological, social, and economic value. He stressed that fire impacts extend beyond destroyed vegetation to encompass broader environmental functions, community livelihoods, and tourism activities reliant on the park’s preservation.
“The full extent of damage and losses resulting from this fire must be clearly established through scientifically accountable examinations,” Januanto asserted. “If criminal acts are proven, the laboratory results will form a crucial part of the law enforcement process to hold the responsible parties fully accountable under the law.”
The sampling procedure forms part of a legal case sequence initiated on August 3, 2026, through an Official Task Order for Data and Information Collection. Investigators formally requested the assignment of wildfire and environmental damage experts on August 18, 2026, which was fulfilled by IPB University on August 19, leading to the field sampling on August 29.
Head of the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Forest Law Enforcement Agency, Aswin Bangun, stated that expert involvement is essential to provide evidentiary data for the investigation.
“This sampling is an integral part of the investigative process. Investigators accompanied the experts to gather soil, vegetation, and post-fire residual materials from multiple locations,” Aswin explained. “These samples will be analyzed in the laboratory to produce the necessary data to clarify the circumstances of the fire. The findings will serve as evidence to determine subsequent legal actions.”
The entire sampling procedure was witnessed by representatives from the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Management Office and Forest Police. The process was formally documented in an Official Sampling Report (Berita Acara Pengambilan Sampel) signed by the experts, investigators, and present witnesses.
The Ministry of Forestry confirms that investigations will continue strictly based on field facts and physical evidence. The final expert assessments and laboratory test results will be integrated into the criminal investigation file to quantify the environmental impact on soil and ecosystems, establishing the foundation for future legal prosecution.
