Indonesia arrests 72 suspects over forest fires as haze spreads across region

Financial records under scrutiny

Investigators are now tracing financial records to determine whether companies financed or ordered the land-clearing operations linked to the fires, a senior police official said. The financial probe marks an escalation from individual prosecutions and signals that authorities are looking into whether corporate actors bear responsibility for the scale of the burning.

Forestry and environment ministry data cited in local reporting indicates that hot spots remain concentrated in peatland areas, where fires can smoulder underground for weeks and are difficult to extinguish. Peatland fires are particularly destructive because they release large amounts of stored carbon and can reignite even after rain, complicating firefighting efforts on the ground.

The haze has reduced visibility in parts of Sumatra and Borneo, with local authorities distributing masks and urging residents, especially those with respiratory conditions, to limit outdoor activity. Air quality readings in several districts have exceeded hazardous thresholds, according to Indonesian environmental agencies tracking particulate matter.

Haze disrupts daily life

Hospitals in affected provinces have reported an uptick in respiratory complaints, and schools in some districts have shifted to remote learning or shortened hours as a precaution. Aid groups have also raised concerns about the impact on outdoor workers, including farmers and informal laborers, who cannot easily stay indoors during the fires.

Regional cooperation is also underway. Malaysian officials have asked Indonesia to share updates on the fires and have prepared cloud-seeding operations in border states to encourage rainfall. Singapore has similarly been affected by transboundary haze in past fire seasons and has offered technical assistance, according to statements from both governments.

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, led by Suharyanto, has coordinated the deployment of firefighting teams, water bombers and helicopters to priority zones. Prabowo Subianto, who holds a senior role in the national government, has publicly backed the enforcement drive and called on regional leaders to enforce burning bans and land-clearing restrictions more strictly.

Regional response and cooperation

Environmental groups have urged authorities to follow the financial trail quickly and to prosecute not only the individuals accused of lighting fires but also any companies found to have bankrolled the burns. They argue that corporate accountability is essential to deter future burning, particularly in palm oil and pulpwood concessions where land conversion is most active.

Indonesia has faced international criticism during previous fire seasons, particularly in 2015 and 2019, when haze from Sumatra and Borneo blanketed much of Southeast Asia and pushed the country toward closer regional cooperation on fire prevention. Analysts say the arrests announced this week suggest the government is responding earlier in the cycle than in past episodes.

The investigation is ongoing, and police have indicated that more arrests could follow as financial records are reviewed and additional suspects are identified. Residents in fire-prone provinces have been urged to report any new burning to local authorities, and a national hotline has been activated to receive tips.

Past fire seasons in focus

Mohammad Irhamni, a provincial police spokesperson, said investigators were working around the clock to map the network of individuals and companies allegedly behind the land clearing. He declined to comment on the total estimated damage but confirmed that several corporate offices had been visited as part of the financial probe.