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View all search resultsLand, forest fire cases in Riau jumped by 205 percent in 2025
Increase in enforcement did not mean that forest and land fires were getting out of hand but showed the seriousness of law enforcement in against land and forest fire perpetrators, Riau Police chief Insp. Gen. Herry Heryawan said.
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Smoke is billowing from a forest and land fire on July 18, 2025, in Rokan Hulu regency, Riau. (Kompas.com/Koramil 13 Rokan IV Koto)
T
he Riau Police handled a significantly increasing amount of forest and land fire cases in 2025, which jumped by 205 percent from only 20 cases in 2024 to a whopping 61 cases in 2025.
“We arrested 70 suspects in 2025 when compared to only 23 suspects in 2024,” Riau Police chief Insp. Gen. Herry Heryawan said on Thursday.
“The increase in enforcement did not mean that forest and land fires were getting out of hand but showed the seriousness of law enforcement against land and forest fire perpetrators.”
Herry said that the police would legally process whoever proven to have burnt land and forests strictly and transparently.
In total, Riau Police handled 148 cases involving natural resources and ecosystem in 2025. Other than forest and land fires, the cases included illegal activities in logging, forestry, oil and gas and mining, including gold mining.
“Let’s hope the nature is given time to recover in 2026. This is our effort to “Protect the Fortune, Keep the Dignity” for the future of Riau, which is safe, harmonious and sustainable,” Herry said.
“It takes a collective awareness and concrete action from all elements of the society to maintain the balance between human and nature.”
