Pakistan, Aug. 9 -- Indonesia has closed all access to Mount Bromo National Park in East Java after a wildfire expanded across the volcano's caldera area. The park operator announced the closure from Saturday evening for an indefinite period as firefighters continued efforts to control the blaze. The fire has already damaged around 176 hectares of land, increasing sharply from approximately 60 hectares recorded on Thursday. Authorities said the decision aims to protect tourists, workers and nearby communities.

Mount Bromo is an active volcano and one of Indonesia's most popular tourist destinations, known for its vast "sand sea" caldera and scenic volcanic landscape. The wildfire began on Monday and continued spreading across the mountai...