Rescuers to Evacuate Mountain Climbers Trapped in Forest Fire

Minggu, 26 Agustus 2012 12:19 WIB

The team of nine military and police personnel went back up to the mountain to help 15 climbers out of dangerous areas at the hill side hit by fire since yesterday.

Earlier the team already evacuated 40 other climbers now safe in the Blambangan base camp in the village of Kutabawa, Purbalingga, Rudi Setiawan, the team coordinator said.

"Other than the 15 climbers there are around 50 more climbers but they are in safe area far from the fire in the other side of the hill," Rudi said via cellular phone .

The Purbalingga regent ordered for the evacuation of all climbers still at the peak of Mt Slamet or at the hill sides to downhill to Blambang to ensure that everyone is safe, he said.

The team will start work to cope with the fires after all climbers are safe in the base camp, he aid.

"Currently we are focused on bringing all climbers downhill to Blambangan," he said.

He said there are 8 locations not far from each other hit by fires and the fires look to spread wider downhill to the south in the Pemalang side of the mountain.

Some of the tracks used by climbers have been hit by fires, which first hit at a location on the hillside 2,500 meters above the sea level, he said.

The report of fire was first received from earlier climbers returning to the Blambangan base camp, he added.

Many people climb to the peak of Mt Slamet during the Idulfitri holidays.