Indonesia cracks down on forest arsonists

Jakarta, July 22 The Indonesian government has taken stern legal action against those allegedly responsible for forest fires, aiming to create a deterrent effect and strengthen preventative measures, a top official said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Head of the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Suharyanto revealed that a total of 16 individuals have been named as suspects for allegedly setting forest fires.

"The law enforcement task force has already been in action, and 16 people have been named as suspects," he said in the statement.

Suharyanto issued the remarks after conducting an aerial inspection of Riau Province, noting that all districts and cities across the region had experienced forest and land fires as of July 20, Xinhua news agency reported.

The BNPB chief emphasised that efforts to curb forest fires are being carried out in tandem with firm legal enforcement.

"In addition to extinguishing the fires, law enforcement operations are also being conducted so that everything is aligned and integrated," Suharyanto said.

He underscored that any indications of deliberate land burning are being processed according to applicable laws.

Meanwhile, Solok and Limapuluh Kota Regencies in Indonesia's West Sumatra province declared an emergency status for forest and land fires, following a surge in hotspots during the ongoing dry season, according to Ilham Wahab, an official from the West Sumatra Provincial Disaster Management Agency, on Tuesday.

"In Solok Regency alone, forest and land fires have occurred in all 14 districts," said Ilham.

He noted that water bombing operations using helicopters have not yet been deployed, as the National Disaster Management Agency is currently prioritising firefighting efforts in Riau and South Sumatra provinces, where the situation is considered more critical.

Rahmadinol, head of the Limapuluh Kota Regency Disaster Management Agency, explained that challenging terrain and limited equipment have hindered firefighting efforts.

"Most of the fire locations in Limapuluh Kota have slopes of 70-90 degrees, which makes firefighting efforts very challenging," Rahmadinol said.

According to the West Sumatra Forestry Service, at least 64 forest and land fire incidents have been recorded across nine regencies and cities from early 2025 to July 19, affecting a total area of 140.87 hectares.

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