The decision to form a joint task force spanning across provincial boundaries was driven by the alarming spread of the fires, which extended beyond Ngawi and Magetan in East Java into the neighboring Karanganyar region in Central Java. Colonel Heri Setyono, an expert from BNPB, said on Wednesday (4/10/2023) about the importance of this collaboration during a coordination meeting held at the Emergency Fire Control Post in Sidorejo Village, Ngawi Regency in East Java. As of October 4th, the fires on Mount Lawu had engulfed approximately 1,990 hectares of land. Ngawi Regency bore the brunt, with 1,250 hectares affected, followed by Magetan with 700 hectares, and Karanganyar with 40 hectares. Efforts to combat the fires have utilized both water bombing and conventional techniques. "Today, we conducted 25 water bombings, 17 of which targeted Ngawi Regency from morning to noon, with another eight in Karanganyar in the evening," said Gatot Soebroto, Head of BPBD East Java. The collaboration has drawn the participation of various stakeholders, including the Ngawi Regency, and the  BPBD Central Java. Ground teams with specialized mountain hiking experience have been deployed to tackle the fires. At present, attempts to contain forest fires in Mount Lawu have been  carried out by a joint team of BPBD, the Indonesian Military, the Indonesian National Police (INP), and volunteers in Ngawi and Magetan Regencies in East Java. (mg/inp/pr/nm)