VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Komodo National Park (BTNK) rangers were managed to put out the fire at Laju Pemali savannah in the western part of Komodo Island in West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, on Sunday morning.

"The fire were put out at 5.00 a.m. after the park deployed 41 rangers," BTNK head Lukita Awang said when contacted in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara Province, on Sunday.

The fire broke out on Saturday (Aug 7) at around 03.00 p.m. Laju Pemali is situated in the western part of Komodo Island and in the southern part of Loh Wenci.

Awang said, the fire has burned savannah vegetation on 10 hectares of the park. The authority is still investigating the cause of the fire.

The BTNK head assured, no Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) were hurt in the blaze as the savannah was not the habitat for the giant lizard.

The park personnel has continued to monitor the situation to ensure that the fire was completely extinguished.

Komodo National Park, a popular tourist destination, is made up of three large islands and more than 20 smaller ones and is home to the Komodo dragon, the world's largest lizard.

In 2018, fire swept across several hills on a small island in Komodo National Park.

Officials said the island is uninhabited and no wildlife or tourists were hurt in the blaze, which was extinguished after about eight hours. (Antaranews)