Polri names 71 suspects in forest fires, hunts backers in Kalimantan

Bareskrim Polri has named 71 individual suspects in 89 police reports involving forest and land fires across nine regional police commands, while hunting for financiers believed to have controlled the burning in Kalimantan. Bareskrim Polri Director of Special Crimes Moh. Irhamni said all of the suspects were casual laborers and were believed not to have acted alone. Police are now tracing money flows to find the parties who ordered, financed and profited from the fires. In Kotawaringin Timur, Central Kalimantan, Kotim police are also questioning two residents detained near Jalan Lingkar Utara or Jalan Ir Soekarno, Baamang District. Neither has been named a suspect. As of Aug. 20, 2026, the Kotim BPBD recorded 401 forest and land fire incidents covering more than 1,394 hectares.