Indonesia Arrests 72 Over Forest Fires As Haze Spreads To Malaysia

Indonesia has arrested 72 people suspected of starting forest and peatland fires as huge blazes across Borneo and Sumatra continue to send thick haze across the country and into neighbouring Malaysia. Police said the suspects are linked to 89 forest and land fire cases across nine provinces.

Indonesian authorities said many of those arrested are accused of deliberately burning land to clear areas for plantations at a lower cost. Investigators are now checking financial records to determine whether companies financed or ordered the fires. Police said the investigation could therefore widen beyond the people accused of starting the fires.

“We will not stop at the perpetrators on the ground,” police official Mohammad Irhamni said. He added that authorities would investigate who benefited from the activities and who was ultimately behind them. The charges could carry heavy fines and prison terms of up to 15 years.

The fires have intensified during a prolonged dry season and an El Niño pattern, with peatlands making some fires particularly difficult to extinguish. Indonesia's Environment Ministry recorded more than 3,700 hotspots on Borneo and over 1,700 in South Sumatra on Sunday.

The situation has worsened in Central Kalimantan, where more than 7,600 hectares have burned. President Prabowo Subianto visited the affected area and pledged continued government support to contain the fires and hold those responsible accountable. Four companies in West Kalimantan are also being scrutinised as part of the wider investigation.

Indonesia has stepped up ground and aerial firefighting, including water bombing, aerial patrols and cloud seeding. More than 50 helicopters are being used across Kalimantan and Sumatra, while weather modification operations have resumed.

The smoke has also crossed into Malaysia. In Sarawak, nearly 600 schools were closed, affecting about 200,000 students after air quality reached unhealthy levels. Malaysia has now received permission to enter Indonesian airspace for cloud seeding as both countries work together to reduce the haze.

The recurring fires have long strained relations between Indonesia and its neighbours, with authorities warning that illegal land clearing could worsen the regional pollution crisis.