T

he National Police recorded an increasing number of individuals linked to forest and land fires this year, while on the other hand they reported a decreasing number of corporations involved in the activity.

National Police’s Criminal Investigative Department (Bareskrim) announced Thursday that it has named 463 suspects in forest and land fires all across the archipelago, the majority of whom were acting as individuals.

Bareskrim head Insp. Gen. Ari Dono Sukamto told the press that 454 of the suspects were individuals while only nine were corporations. He also announced that all the individuals have been detained while the nine corporations are still under investigation.

Ari declined to elaborate on the corporations and instead emphasized that, “Everyone will be punished if proven guilty.”

The number of individuals linked to the crime is more than double last year’s 196. In contrast, the police recorded an almost two-thirds decrease in the number of corporations involved in forest and land fires this year from last years’ 25.

In the effort to solve more forest and land fires, the government has set up a team of “fire hunters” consisting of state institutions in charge of the matter. Besides the National Police, the team also consists of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the Environment and Forestry Ministry and the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister.

The team is tasked with searching for and reducing hot spots throughout the country and at the same time educating members of the public to protect forests and lands in their neighborhoods.