Mount Lawu Catches Fire, Three Hiking Trails Temporarily Closed
KOMPAS.com - Hiking on Mount Lawu has been temporarily suspended starting Monday (September 14, 2026) following the discovery of fire hotspots and an ongoing forest fire in the Mount Lawu area.
"The Mount Lawu trails via Cemoro Kandang and Cetho are temporarily closed to all hiking activities, effective September 14, 2026, until further notice."
This statement was officially issued by Director of PUD Aneka Usaha Samdi in official announcement number: 039/GL.CK.01/PUD-AU/IX/2026, cited Tuesday (September 15, 2026).
The closure follows field monitoring which showed conditions remain highly hazardous, also aiming to mitigate potential dangers for the safety and security of Mount Lawu hikers via Cemoro Kandang and Cetho.
The closure will remain in effect from September 14, 2026, until further notice.
Separately, Lawu D5 Administrator Mada Yuwono Hadhi announced that the Cemoro Sewu hiking trail is also temporarily closed.
The management urges everyone to refrain from illegal hiking while the trails remain closed.
"To prevent any unwanted incidents, we strongly urge that no one undertake illegal hiking," Samdi said.
Staff at the registration posts on Cemoro Kandang and Cetho trails have been instructed to continuously monitor the fire hotspots.
They are also asked to coordinate with relevant parties to help extinguish the fire promptly and prevent it from spreading.
KOMPAS.com/Agus Iswadi /ilustrasi. Mount Lawu, located on the border between Karanganyar Regency in Central Java and Magetan Regency in East Java.
"During the closure period, combined officers and volunteer teams will focus on fire suppression efforts, condition monitoring, and trail sweeps," Mada explained.
Perhutani also urged the public not to engage in illegal hiking to avoid any untoward incidents.
Officials are expected to keep monitoring fire hotspots, coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure the fire is quickly extinguished and does not spread, and report developments regularly.
