Enviro News Asia, Pekanbaru — Indonesia’s Environment Ministry is investigating forest and land fires across the concession areas of 335 companies to determine their causes and establish whether negligence or deliberate burning contributed to the incidents, Environment Minister and head of the Environmental Control Agency Moh Jumhur Hidayat said on Nov. 2, 2026.
The investigations involve extensive field verification at hundreds of fire-affected locations across the country. Jumhur announced the initiative during the International Conference on Peatland Research and Innovation in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Oct. 31, saying the process was necessary to establish facts and strengthen evidence-based law enforcement.
“Every burned area must be verified individually. Some fires have affected two hectares, others five hectares, and several have reached hundreds of hectares. We therefore need to establish the conditions and causes of the fires at each location,” Jumhur said.
Investigating Possible Causes of Fires
According to the ministry’s field observations, fires have occurred in various settings, including undeveloped land and oil palm plantations. Investigators are examining possible ignition sources, including uncontrolled traditional land-clearing practices.
Jumhur said there were indications that some fires had been caused by human activities, particularly community land-clearing practices in open-access areas.
He noted that some people believed burning was permitted for land clearing of up to two hectares. However, fires could spread beyond the intended area and cause much larger incidents.
The ministry is also examining intelligence information suggesting that some fires may have been deliberately started to damage the government’s public image.
Jumhur stressed that the allegation remained under investigation and required further verification before any conclusions could be reached.
“If this is indeed happening, it would be a very serious matter. However, the information still needs to be verified further,” he said.
Evidence-Based Environmental Law Enforcement
The ministry said its investigations would prioritise legal objectivity and due process. Jumhur also referred to diplomatic communication with Singapore’s Environment Minister Grace Fu concerning regional cooperation and respect for each country’s law enforcement measures.
He said Fu had informed him that Singapore was preparing environmental regulations to strengthen law enforcement in its own jurisdiction. Indonesia, he added, respected each country’s sovereignty.
The ministry pledged to take action against any party proven responsible, including concession holders and individuals outside companies who may have orchestrated deliberate burning.
However, Jumhur emphasised that no party could be declared guilty before investigators had verified the circumstances and evidence at each site.
“We cannot determine who is responsible before verification is completed. This is a legal matter. It would be problematic to impose penalties without first establishing the facts and evidence on the ground,” he said.
The ministry said resolving the forest and land fire emergency remained a national priority. Findings from investigations across the 335 company concessions are expected to guide enforcement measures, protect communities, restore ecological functions and strengthen environmental justice. (*)
