JAKARTA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities have temporarily closed the popular Ijen volcano tourist site in East Java province after a forest fire broke out nearby, a local official said Friday.
The East Java conservation agency suspended visits to the nature reserve, which spans Banyuwangi and Bondowoso regencies, until further notice to ensure visitor safety, according to a notice signed by agency head Nur Patria Kurniawan.
Partana, head of the Banyuwangi disaster management agency, said the fire had spread close to Pondok Bunder, a key point along the trail to the crater, prompting authorities to close the route.
Firefighters, supported by fire trucks and around 15 water pumps capable of spraying water up to 15 meters, have been deployed near the site, Partana said.
Authorities are also considering aerial firefighting operations as cliffs and ravines have made some fire locations difficult to reach by vehicle, he added.
Ijen is one of Indonesia's major tourist attractions, known for its rare blue flames and turquoise-colored crater lake. ■