Indonesian authorities have arrested 72 people suspected of starting forest and peatland fires as massive blazes trigger choking haze across central and western Indonesia.
The fires, driven by an El Niño pattern and a prolonged dry season, have generated dense smoke crossing into Malaysia, according to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Mohammad Irhamni, director of special crimes at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, said the arson suspects are under investigation in 89 fire cases across five Borneo and four Sumatra provinces. He said that investigators are tracing financial records to target the companies financing the illegal clearing, warning that suspects face up to 15 years in prison.
On Sunday, over 3,700 hot spots were recorded on Borneo-predominantly in Kalimantan's peatlands where BNPB chief Suharyanto noted blazes often smolder underground—and 1,700 on South Sumatra, reducing visibility to 10 meters. Water-bombing and cloud-seeding operations are underway using 52 helicopters.
In Malaysia's Sarawak state, the choking haze triggered "very unhealthy" air quality, forcing the closure of nearly 600 schools and affecting 200,000 students.