Jakarta – In response to a worsening wildfire crisis, Indonesia’s Environment Ministry announced on Monday that it is inspecting 19 companies whose land concessions are suspected of fueling fires across Sumatra and Kalimantan. The move comes as the country endures a prolonged dry season intensified by an El Niño weather pattern.
Scope of the investigation
Senior ministry official Rizal Irawan told reporters that satellite data identified 42 companies holding concessions with high wildfire potential. Of those, fires have been confirmed on 11,047 hectares (about 27,300 acres) within the concessions of 19 firms – an area roughly twice the size of Manhattan.
“We will investigate whether the fires started accidentally or were deliberately set. However, regardless of the cause, strict liability applies whenever a fire occurs within a concession area,” Rizal said. The names of the companies and the specific types of concessions were not disclosed.
Government response
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB, is mobilizing resources to contain the blazes. Spokesperson Berton Panjaitan said the agency will deploy a portion of its 48,000‑strong workforce to guard high‑risk zones and prevent new ignitions. Over 1,400 volunteers have already been enlisted, with additional recruitment underway.
Air‑borne firefighting efforts are also being expanded. The government has assigned 34 aircraft for water‑bombing missions, though operations have been hampered by dense haze, poor visibility, and limited water supplies near the fire sites. To bolster aerial capacity, the Transport Ministry issued special permits for 35 foreign aircraft to enter Indonesian airspace.
Impact on health and wildlife
The smoke from the fires is raising concerns about respiratory illnesses among residents and threatening the nation’s iconic orangutan populations, which inhabit the affected forests. Data from the forestry ministry showed that nearly 95,000 hectares burned in July alone, almost double the damage recorded in the preceding six months.
According to the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitoring service, carbon emissions from Indonesian fires in the past week reached 17.1 million metric tons – a 429 % increase over the seasonal average and the second‑highest emission level worldwide after Russia.
Looking ahead
Rizal indicated that investigations will continue for the remaining 23 companies identified as having fire‑risk concessions. The ministry emphasized that strict liability will be enforced for any fire occurring within a concession, signaling a tougher regulatory stance aimed at protecting both public health and the nation’s biodiversity.
As the dry season persists, authorities urge communities to remain vigilant, support volunteer firefighting efforts, and adhere to any local advisories regarding air quality.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
