Indonesian authorities have detained 72 individuals suspected of igniting forest and peatland fires amid widespread blazes in central and western regions of the country. The fires have produced thick smoke that has spread beyond Indonesia’s borders, affecting air quality in neighboring Malaysia.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) confirmed the arrests as the government continues efforts to contain the fires, which have become a recurring environmental and public health challenge. The haze resulting from the smoke has raised concerns across Southeast Asia, renewing tensions over cross-border pollution.

Fires in Indonesia are often deliberately set to clear land for agricultural purposes, a practice involving both large-scale plantation operators and smallholder farmers. Despite regulations prohibiting the use of fire for land clearing, enforcement challenges persist, contributing to recurring seasonal hotspots and extensive damage to forest ecosystems, peatlands, and air quality.

Authorities are intensifying investigations and implementing preventive measures to reduce fire outbreaks and curb the transboundary haze that disrupts daily life and economic activities in the region. The Indonesian government is collaborating with neighboring countries to address the ongoing environmental crisis linked to the annual fire season.