Dozens arrested after vast forest fires in Indonesia

Jump to contentAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleIndonesian authorities have arrested 72 people suspected of starting forest and peatland fires across Borneo and Sumatra. The blazes, driven by an El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season, were deliberately set to clear land for plantations at a lower cost. Police are investigating 89 fire cases and tracing financial records to determine whether corporations ordered or funded the arson. Thousands of hot spots have been recorded across the region, prompting cloud-seeding and water-bombing operations involving dozens of helicopters. Dense smoke has crossed into neighbouring Malaysia, causing severe air pollution in Sarawak where nearly 600 schools were closed, affecting around 200,000 students. In fullIndonesia police arrest 72 people suspected of starting forest and peatland firesMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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