Indonesia Cracks Down on Open Burning as Wildfire Haze Engulfs Borneo and Drifts Into Malaysia

JAKARTA — Indonesian authorities issued a stern warning Friday that they will pursue legal action against anyone igniting open fires, as massive blazes raging across Borneo and other regions shroud cities in toxic haze and send dense smoke drifting into neighboring Malaysia.

The fires are concentrated on Borneo, the world’s third-largest island shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Indonesia controls roughly three-quarters of the landmass, where the Forestry Ministry has recorded more than 5,000 hotspots.

Thick haze has blanketed parts of Kalimantan, slashing visibility to between one and ten meters in some areas, according to local reports. The smog has triggered traffic accidents and forced flight delays.

Television footage showed roads, buildings, and public facilities obscured by smoke, compelling motorists to drive with headlights on in broad daylight. Residents, including schoolchildren, were seen donning masks while venturing outdoors.

An intensifying El Niño pattern and a prolonged dry season have exacerbated the fires, producing dense smoke that has crossed into Malaysia, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency.

Malaysia’s eastern state of Sarawak has borne the brunt of the transboundary pollution. One district recorded “very unhealthy” air quality on Friday, while eight others registered unhealthy readings, prompting the closure of nearly 600 schools and affecting approximately 200,000 students, the Sarawak government said.

On Borneo, Central Kalimantan Police Chief Iwan Kurniawan said investigators have detained 12 suspects linked to alleged arson and illegal land clearing in the past week.

“Every forest and land fire incident in Central Kalimantan is investigated,” Kurniawan said, adding that authorities are working to determine the causes and identify those responsible.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, who visited fire-hit areas near the provincial capital of Palangka Raya on Wednesday, pledged strict action against offenders.

“Whoever they are, big or small, without exception, anyone who destroys nature and forests will face strict legal action,” Antoni said.

Social media has been flooded with complaints from residents reporting breathing difficulties and fears of illness.

In total, Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry detected 11,908 hotspots nationwide in the previous 24 hours, up from 6,352 a day earlier.

Forest-monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas reported that about 182,000 hectares (450,000 acres) burned in July alone — nearly double the area scorched during the first half of the year. The total area burned this year has reached approximately 285,000 hectares (704,000 acres).

Indonesia regularly experiences transboundary haze during severe fire seasons, particularly when peatlands on Sumatra and Kalimantan ignite. Authorities say fires are often started illegally to clear land for plantations or agriculture, periodically blanketing parts of Southeast Asia in hazardous smoke.

Source link