Indonesian police arrest 72 people suspected of starting forest fires
Indonesian authorities have arrested 72 individuals suspected of starting forest and peatland fires to clear land for plantations. The fires, exacerbated by El Nino, have created a hazardous haze affecting neighboring countries, prompting a government crackdown on both individual perpetrators and potential corporate backers.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between agricultural land-clearing practices and regional environmental health, with significant implications for climate policy and international relations.
Indonesian police on Sunday (August 23, 2026) arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the recent forest and peatland fires as huge blazes in central and western parts of the country triggered a harmful cloud known as a choking haze.
Indonesia has been battling fires driven by an intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia, according to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, or BNPB.
Fires are a regular problem in the country and often strain relations with neighbours.
Plantation owners and traditional farmers often start fires to clear land for farming, said Mohammad Irhamni, director of special crimes at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency.
The arson suspects were being investigated in connection with 89 forest and land fire cases across five provinces on the island of Borneo and four on Sumatra, Mr. Irhamni said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in