Indonesia Arrests 72 in Forest Fire Probe

Indonesian authorities arrested 72 people on Sunday, suspecting them of starting recent forest and peatland fires that have created a hazardous "choking haze" across central and western parts of the country. According to multiple reports, these blazes—exacerbated by an intensifying El Niño pattern and prolonged dry season—have generated dense smoke affecting neighboring Malaysia.

As reported by Los Angeles Times and PBS, the arson suspects are being investigated for their involvement in 89 fire cases across five provinces on Borneo and four on Sumatra. Mohammad Irhamni, director of special crimes at Indonesia's National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, stated that most suspects were accused of deliberately burning land to clear areas for plantations at lower cost.

The Indonesian government has escalated its response efforts. President Prabowo Subianto visited Central Kalimantan province on Saturday, where over 18,700 acres have burned, according to the Los Angeles Times and PBS. He promised additional resources including helicopters and water pumps to contain the fires, vowing accountability for any companies found responsible.

Al Jazeera reported that Indonesia is deploying 1,500 more soldiers to Borneo to combat the wildfires, which have burned at least 200,000 hectares of land. The government has also increased water-bombing operations with six additional helicopters. Smoke from these fires has led to "very unhealthy" air quality in Malaysia's Sarawak state, prompting school closures affecting about 200,000 students, as noted by Los Angeles Times and PBS.

The situation remains critical, with fire activity increasing in West, Central, and South Kalimantan provinces. BNPB chief Suharyanto warned that fires appearing extinguished on the surface may still contain embers underneath, necessitating sufficient rainfall to fully suppress them. The government continues to monitor the situation closely while implementing mitigation measures.

In South Sumatra, which has recorded the highest number of wildfire hot spots with 1,429 according to NPR, authorities turned to spiritual measures as huge blazes scorched wide areas of forests and peatland. About 3,000 residents gathered in Palembang for a special Islamic prayer for rain known as "salat istisqa," praying shoulder to shoulder in the courtyard of the governor's office amidst thick smoke that reduced visibility.

South Sumatra Gov. Herman Deru stated that the public prayer would complement ongoing firefighting and drought-mitigation measures, serving as a moment for residents to unite in confronting environmental challenges. The province has faced prolonged dry weather that heightened the risk of forest and peatland fires, with nearly 940 square kilometers burned in July alone.

Indonesia is intensifying weather-modification operations to help firefighters combat wildfires by inducing rainfall through cloud-seeding and water-bombing. The country has deployed 30 aircraft for these operations over Kalimantan and another 22 helicopters covering Sumatra, according to NPR.