At least 4 killed while fighting wildfire in East Java, Indonesia

At least four people were killed while battling a wildfire in Mount Bromo in Indonesia's East Java province.

The death toll rose to four on Thursday after another person died while being transferred to a hospital, the state-run news agency Antara reported.

The victims included two officers from Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park and two hotel staffers.

Two other people suffered serious burns while fighting the fire and were hospitalized for treatment.

Probolinggo District Head Muhammad Haris said wildfires had occurred in the national park almost every year, but had not previously caused fatalities.

Twelve people initially joined efforts to contain the current fire under standard operating procedures, but the blaze spread and the team split up, leaving six people trapped as winds shifted rapidly, Haris said.

Indonesia faces an unusually prolonged dry season, with El Nino contributing to conditions favorable for wildfires.