Police arrest four residents over East Kalimantan wildfires

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3 hours ago

Sangatta, E Kalimantan (ANTARA) – Police in East Kalimantan’s Kutai Timur District have arrested four residents suspected of setting forest and land fires during this year’s prolonged dry season, an official said.

“We have arrested four suspects accused of setting fires in several sub-districts,” Kutai Timur Police Public Information officer First Inspector Wahyu Winarko said in Sangatta on Friday.

Of the four suspects, police arrested two in Sangatta Selatan Subdistrict, one in Teluk Pandan Subdistrict, and another in Rantau Pulung Subdistrict, he said.

“The suspects and evidence have been handled by the respective local police stations,” Winarko said.

Police are investigating each wildfire case while conducting preventive measures to mitigate fires caused by residents burning land, he said.

“If people continue to disregard the rules, we will take firm action against those responsible for burning land, in accordance with applicable regulations,” he said.

The Kutai Timur Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) recorded 81 forest and land fire cases, with a total burned area of 143 hectares.

Kutai Timur BPBD Chief Sulastin said most of the reported fires were deliberately started by residents.

“These fires were not natural. We found that many of the burned areas had been deliberately set on fire,” Sulastin said.

She urged law enforcement agencies to strengthen enforcement and prevent residents from continuing to start fires that cause forest and land fires.

“If possible, those who burn land should face deterrent penalties first. They should not be allowed to keep doing it,” Sulastin said.