Ijen Crater Remains Closed to Tourists, Here Is Its Latest Condition

Mount Ijen Crater has not yet reopened to tourists, even though the forest and land fires within the Ijen Crater Nature Tourism Park (TWA) have been fully extinguished. The temporary closure remains in effect to mitigate risks for visitors intending to view the crater lake panorama and the famous blue fire phenomenon.

The East Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) first implemented the temporary suspension of visitor access to Ijen Crater TWA on 4 September 2026. This tourist area spans across the Banyuwangi and Bondowoso Regencies.

As of Thursday, no official announcement regarding the reopening of tourist trails has been released. Ijen Crater TWA Head Rusdi Santoso stated that visitor access remains closed pending an updated circular letter from East Java BBKSDA.

"Visitor access is still closed, and as of today we have not received any circular notice from East Java BBKSDA," confirmed Ijen Crater TWA Head Rusdi Santoso when contacted in Banyuwangi, East Java on Thursday.

The fire event within Ijen Crater TWA has been successfully put out. After no active flames were observed, field crews conducted mopping up operations, combing through the affected area to verify that no remaining hot embers were present.

Wetting operations are being carried out at multiple high-risk locations that could reignite. This measure is part of ongoing efforts to ensure the entire area remains safe following the wildfire.

However, response crews are now monitoring more than just the former fire sites inside Ijen Crater TWA. Over the past three days, new forest and land fires have broken out on the northern slopes of Mount Merapi Ungup-Ungup.

This latest fire is located in the Pasewaran Block, an area bordering the protected nature reserve. Given this situation, the risk of fire spreading into the conservation zone remains a critical concern.

"That fire is located within the North Banyuwangi Perhutani State Forestry management area, and it appears to still be active as of today due to the difficult terrain. This blaze poses a high risk of spreading into the Mount Merapi Ungup-Ungup nature reserve," he explained.

Challenging terrain is one of the primary obstacles in extinguishing this new fire. Due to its proximity to the protected nature reserve, the fire's development will continue to be closely monitored.

For tourists, the ongoing closure of Ijen Crater TWA means planned hikes to one of East Java's most famous natural destinations must remain postponed. Long renowned for its dramatic crater landscape and iconic blue fire, Ijen Crater is a flagship tourist attraction for both Banyuwangi and Bondowoso.

Even though the fires within the Ijen Crater TWA boundaries have been extinguished, the site will not be automatically reopened for visitors. Site conditions and the ongoing wildfire threat in surrounding areas will be evaluated before any resumption of tourist activities is authorised.

For the time being, tourists are advised to await official confirmation from East Java BBKSDA regarding the reopening of Ijen Crater TWA. All visitor access to the crater area will remain suspended until the formal circular notice is issued.