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View all search resultsWildfires continue to rage across Indonesia, 139 arrested for arson
Despite the arrests, questions remain over whether authorities are targeting only those who physically set the fires or are also pursuing those who may have benefited from them.
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A boy reacts as smoke rises from wildfires in a residential area in Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra, on Sept. 2, 2026. (Reuters/Abriansyah Liberto )
P
olice have arrested more than 100 people nationwide on arson charges as massive wildfires continue to ravage the country, but questions are mounting over whether the crackdown will deter those truly responsible.
In Riau, police have named 49 suspects in 45 separate cases of alleged arson that have burned nearly 3,000 hectares of forest.
"Every wildfire incident will be investigated thoroughly, from the source of the fire to those responsible. If there is sufficient evidence of a crime, investigators will take legal action against those responsible," Riau police's special crimes director, Sr. Comr. Ade Kuncoro Ridwan, said on Monday.
Ade added that legal proceedings were continuing alongside efforts to prevent, extinguish and manage the fires across Riau, he said.
"These enforcement efforts are being carried out alongside preventive measures, such as routine patrols, early detection and public outreach on the ban on clearing land by burning," he said.
Riau, one of Indonesia's major palm oil-producing regions, is currently battling wildfires at 10 locations across the province, with some fires having burned for 10 days.
More than 19,000 hectares of forest have been lost to wildfires in Riau since the start of the year, according to authorities.
