Indonesia wildfire crisis: 19 companies under scrutiny as 2 lakh hectares burnt

Indonesia's wildfire crisis has burned 202,010 hectares of forest and land between January and July, while authorities are inspecting 19 companies linked to fires covering 11,047 hectares within their concessions across seven provinces.Nearly 95,000 hectares burned in July alone, against 107,465 hectares recorded during the first six months of the year, according to Forestry Ministry data.Indonesia's Health Ministry said 10.67 million people across seven provinces had been affected by the fires as of August 27. It recorded 13,449 cases of acute respiratory infection, including 4,082 cases on August 27.19 firms face inspectionsOfficials identified 42 concession holders considered at high risk of fires. Fires covering 11,047 hectares were found within concessions managed by 19 of them, while authorities were continuing to examine the other 23.Environment Ministry official Rizal Irawan said strict-liability rules apply to fires within concession areas regardless of whether they were accidental or deliberate, news agency Reuters reported.Police have also arrested 72 people in connection with recent forest and peatland fires. Most are suspected of deliberately burning land as a cheaper clearing method, while investigators are separately examining whether any companies directed or financed such activity, news agency AP reported.Fires recur during Indonesia's dry season, with deliberate burning to clear land for agriculture and plantations among the causes. Peat fires can persist below ground, making them particularly difficult to extinguish.11,567 personnel deployed in South SumatraIn South Sumatra alone, 11,567 personnel, including military, police, disaster-response teams, firefighters and volunteers, had been deployed as of August 31, according to BNPB.The government has also deployed 34 aircraft for water-bombing operations, while more than 1,400 volunteers have been sent to fire-affected areas, news agency Reuters reported.BNPB recorded six new forest and land fires between August 30 and 31, with incidents reported in East Kalimantan, Central Java, South Sulawesi and North Maluku.In South Sumatra, 67.06 hectares remained under firefighting or close monitoring as of August 30. BNPB said 18.36 hectares had been extinguished, while another 48.7 hectares remained in the cooling-down phase.Authorities are also carrying out cloud-seeding and other weather-modification operations in an effort to induce rain over fire-prone areas. Ground and aerial operations have been stepped up as haze has reduced air quality across several provinces and spread into neighbouring Malaysia.Seven orangutans rescued in fire zonesThe fires have also affected wildlife in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. An adult male orangutan was found in a weakened condition near a fire zone in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, and treated after exposure to heavy smoke.The orangutan, named Sampurna, suffered hypoxia that a wildlife foundation linked to smoke exposure. Veterinarians also suspected an acute respiratory infection. Sampurna was among seven orangutans rescued during this year's fires, news agency Reuters reported.BMKG said satellite monitoring on August 31 found the largest concentration of high-confidence hotspots in Kalimantan, followed by Sumatra, Papua and Maluku.The meteorological agency expects hot and relatively dry weather to persist in early September, although local rain remains possible, and said smoke could spread into surrounding areas depending on wind direction.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.