Indonesia arrests 72 over forest fires as haze spreads to Malaysia

Indonesian police detained 72 individuals suspected of igniting forest and peatland fires linked to 89 fire incidents across five provinces on Borneo and four on Sumatra. Director of special crimes Mohammad Irhami of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency said most suspects are alleged to have set fires deliberately to clear land for plantations at lower cost. Investigators are tracing financial records to determine whether companies financed or ordered the burnings, a step that could broaden the probe beyond those already in custody. The suspects face fines and prison terms of up to 15 years if convicted.

Associated Press

Indonesia’s Environment Ministry recorded more than 3,700 hotspots on Borneo and over 1,700 on South Sumatra on Sunday, with fire activity intensifying in West, Central and South Kalimantan where peatlands allow underground smoldering. The resulting haze reduced visibility to as little as 10 meters in some areas and drifted into Malaysia’s Sarawak state. Air-quality monitors there reported “very unhealthy” readings in one district and “unhealthy” levels in eight others, prompting the closure of nearly 600 schools and affecting about 200,000 students.

Associated PressIndonesia arrests 72 over forest fires as choking haze spreads to Malaysia

President Prabowo Subianto visited Central Kalimantan, where more than 7,600 hectares have burned, and pledged additional resources such as helicopters and water pumps to contain the blazes. He pledged to hold accountable any companies found to have contributed to the fires. The State Secretariat head, Prasetyo Hadi, noted that at least four West Kalimantan firms are under investigation for alleged fire-based land clearing and could face permit revocations. Cloud-seeding operations resumed on Sunday, deploying 30 helicopters over Kalimantan and 22 over Sumatra for water-bombing and aerial patrols.

Associated Press

• Mohammad Irhami – Director of special crimes, National Police Criminal Investigation Agency; leading the arson investigation.

Associated Press

• Prabowo Subianto – President of Indonesia; visited fire-hit provinces and promised resources.

Associated Press

• Suharyanto – Chief of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB); warned that peat-land embers can persist without sufficient rainfall.

Indonesia arrests 72 over forest fires as choking haze spreads to Malaysia

• Prasetyo Hadi – Head of the State Secretariat; identified companies under investigation.

Associated Press

• “We will not stop at the perpetrators on the ground,” — Irhami

Associated Press

• “I hope we can control this soon,” — Prabowo

Associated Press

• “Land that appears extinguished on the surface may still contain embers underneath, so sufficient rainfall is crucial to rewet the peat and fully suppress the fires,” — Suharyanto, BNPB chief

Indonesia arrests 72 over forest fires as choking haze spreads to Malaysia