Indonesia names 139 suspects in 200 forest-fire cases

Jakarta - On September 11, 2026, Indonesian police have identified a total of 139 suspects linked to approximately 200 forest and land-fire incidents across the nation. Vast fires continue to inflict extensive damage and create dense haze in various regions. Police in Riau province, located on eastern Sumatra, have named 49 suspects in 45 suspected arson cases that have scorched nearly 3,000 hectares of forest. Inadequate management and land-clearing practices by burning are cited as primary causes of these fires.

Ade Kuncoro Ridwan, the director of special criminal investigations for Riau Police, emphasized that every forest-fire case would be investigated meticulously, from its origins to the individuals responsible. He added that, should there be sufficient evidence of criminal activity, law enforcement would proceed against those implicated. Preventive measures, such as patrols, early wildfire detection, and public awareness campaigns against land-burning, are being implemented alongside enforcement efforts.

In Central Kalimantan, police have apprehended 25 suspects in connection with 62 alleged arson cases as thick haze persists across the province. The Central Kalimantan Police chief, Iwan Kurniawan, highlighted that law enforcement is a core component of the province's strategy to combat forest and land fires, with officers aiming to deter individuals from setting fires before they spread.

Kurniawan stated, "Law enforcement is Central Kalimantan Police's commitment to deter offenders and prevent recurring forest and land fires."

National Police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo reported that 138 suspects have been identified in 200 forest and land-fire cases nationwide. Of these, 119 were accused of deliberately setting fires, while 19 were linked to fires caused by negligence. The report does not specify the one-person discrepancy between the 139-suspect figure mentioned earlier and the 138 reported here.

Authorities are also probing the possibility of corporate involvement, with eight companies already facing fire-related cases and another 60 companies under scrutiny due to the suspension or revocation of their operating licenses following forest fires. Indonesia's Forestry Ministry disclosed that over 202,000 hectares of forest have burned this year across 36 of the country's 38 provinces, with West Kalimantan recording the largest burned area at 38,300 hectares.