Indonesia Names 112 Suspects in Forest and Land Fire Cases in 2026

Indonesian police have named 112 people as suspects in forest and land fire cases during the first eight months of 2026, with authorities linking many of the fires to attempts to clear land quickly.

The cases generated 167 police reports between Jan. 1 and Sept. 3, according to Kombes Pipit Subiyanto of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department. Of those reports, 55 remained under preliminary inquiry and 77 had advanced to formal investigation. Eighteen cases had been declared complete, nine had been transferred to prosecutors, and one report in South Sumatra had been halted.

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From Jan. 1 to Sept. 3, the total number of law-enforcement reports on forest and land fires was 167.

Riau recorded the largest number of suspects, with 42, followed by South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan with 20 each. East Kalimantan recorded 13 suspects, Jambi eight, West Kalimantan seven and South Kalimantan two. The reports came from provinces including Riau, West Kalimantan, Aceh, Jambi, North Kalimantan, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and Lampung.

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They carried out the burning, whether directly or unintentionally through fires they used, with land clearing as one of the motives.

The areas included in the investigations totaled more than 4,600 hectares. Riau accounted for 2,112.25 hectares and West Kalimantan for 1,692.9 hectares, while Lampung recorded 637.4 hectares. Smaller areas were reported in Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, South Sumatra, Aceh, Jambi and South Kalimantan.

Pipit said suspects had started fires deliberately or accidentally while using fires for land clearing. He also pointed to the dry season and El Niño conditions, which make peatland, savanna, grass and piles of combustible material especially vulnerable to fire.

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There are sources of fire, especially in peat areas and lands with savanna, grass or piles of material.