Indonesian police arrest 72 people suspected of starting forest fires
Crime
Legal
August 23, 2026
Share this article
Click to view full size
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian police on Sunday arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the recent forest and peatland fires as huge blazes in central and western parts of the country triggered a harmful cloud known as a choking haze.
Indonesia has been battling fires driven by an intensifying El Niño pattern and a prolonged dry season, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, or BNPB.
Fires are a regular problem in the country and often strain relations with neighbors.
Crime
Legal
Need the bigger picture?
Share this article
Comments (0)
Download our mobile app
The portable companion to gazettE. Get notifications, track read articles, and more. The latest news from Trinidad and Tobago, in one place.
