Indonesian police have arrested 72 people suspected of starting forest and peatland fires across nine provinces on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, according to the Associated Press. The blazes have triggered a dense, choking haze that crossed international borders into Malaysia.
Police Target Corporate Backing Behind Arson Cases
Investigators are examining 89 separate forest and land fire cases spanning five provinces on Borneo and four on Sumatra, citing Mohammad Irhamni, director of special crimes at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency. Most of the detained suspects face allegations of deliberately setting fires to clear land for plantations at a lower cost.
Police stated that the inquiry will not stop with individuals working on the ground. Authorities are currently tracing financial records to determine which companies financed or ordered the land-clearing operations. Suspects face charges carrying penalties that include prison terms of up to 15 years and hefty fines.
President Prabowo Inspects Devastated Central Kalimantan
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto traveled to Central Kalimantan province, where more than 18,700 acres have burned. During the visit, Prabowo promised the deployment of necessary government resources, including water pumps and helicopters, and vowed to hold accountable any corporations found responsible for contributing to the fires.
Prasetyo Hadi, head of the state secretariat, noted that at least four companies in West Kalimantan province are under investigation for allegedly using fire to clear land. If proven intentional, these companies could face sanctions, including the revocation of their operating permits.
Thousands of Hot Spots Trigger Massive Aerial Response
The Ministry of Environment recorded more than 3,700 hot spots on Borneo alone, while South Sumatra detected more than 1,700 hot spots. In response to the escalating crisis, authorities resumed cloud-seeding operations over Kalimantan using 30 helicopters for water-dropping and aerial patrols, alongside 22 additional helicopters deployed over Sumatra.
BNPB chief Suharyanto explained that fires appearing extinguished on the surface often retain embers underneath in peatlands, making sufficient rainfall crucial to rewet the peat and fully suppress the blazes.
International Haze Forces School Closures in Malaysia
The dense smoke generated by the Indonesian fires drifted across the strait into Malaysia, heavily impacting the eastern state of Sarawak. The Sarawak government reported that one district recorded “very unhealthy” air quality, while eight other districts posted “unhealthy” readings. The poor air quality forced the closure of nearly 600 schools, affecting approximately 200,000 students in the region.