Key facts
- Indonesian police arrested 72 individuals suspected of starting forest and peatland fires.
- The fires have caused a persistent haze affecting parts of Borneo and Sumatra, as well as Malaysia.
- President Prabowo Subianto visited Central Kalimantan to address the fires and pledged resources.
- At least four companies are under investigation for allegedly using fire for land clearing.
- Malaysia has received official permission to conduct cloud seeding operations in Indonesian airspace.
- Malaysia is also prepared to offer assistance to Indonesia in extinguishing fires.
Indonesian police have arrested 72 individuals suspected of deliberately starting forest and peatland fires, which have generated a significant haze cloud affecting parts of Borneo and Sumatra. The fires, exacerbated by an intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season, have crossed into neighboring Malaysia, prompting health warnings and school closures.
Authorities are investigating 89 fire cases across five provinces on Borneo and four on Sumatra. Investigators are tracing financial records to determine if companies financed or ordered the land clearing, indicating a potential expansion of the probe beyond the arrested individuals. The suspects face penalties ranging from fines to up to 15 years in prison.
President Prabowo Subianto visited Central Kalimantan, one of the hardest-hit areas, to encourage authorities to control the haze and promised government resources, including helicopters and water pumps. At least four companies in West Kalimantan are under investigation, and if found responsible for intentionally setting fires, they could face sanctions including permit revocation.
Smoke from the fires has blanketed parts of Borneo, with Indonesia's Environment Ministry recording over 3,700 hot spots. Fire activity has increased in West, Central, and South Kalimantan, with peatland fires prolonging the dangerous haze. In South Sumatra, fires have reduced visibility to as little as 10 meters in some areas. Cloud-seeding operations and aerial water-bombing missions are underway.
Malaysia has been severely impacted by the smoke, particularly its eastern state of Sarawak, where air quality reached "very unhealthy" levels, leading to the closure of nearly 600 schools and affecting about 200,000 students. Malaysia's environment minister announced that Indonesia has granted official permission for Malaysian agencies to enter its airspace to conduct cloud seeding operations, coordinated with the Indonesian military, ahead of national holidays.