Indonesia warns against starting open blazes as haze from wildfires spreads to Malaysia

Motorists ride on a road as haze from Wildfires blanket the city of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Stefanus Taman) By NINIEK KARMINI Updated 12:53 PM MESZ, August 21, 2026 Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia n authorities warned Friday they would take legal action against anyone who starts an open fire, as huge blazes on Borneo and elsewhere created a choking haze that blanketed cities and dense smoke drifted into neighboring Malaysia. The fires are concentrated on Borneo, the world’s third-largest island shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Indonesia occupies about three-quarters of the island, where more than 5,000 hot spots were recorded by the country’s Forestry Ministry. The blazes have blanketed parts of Kalimantan in choking haze, reducing visibility to just 1 to 10 meters (yards) in some areas, according to local media reports. The smoke has contributed to traffic accidents and delayed several flights. Television footage showed roads, buildings and public facilities obscured by smoke, with motorists forced to drive with headlights on during daylight hours. Residents, including schoolchildren, were seen wearing masks while walking outside. An intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season have fueled the fires, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency. Malaysia’s eastern state of Sarawak has been among the hardest hit. One district recorded “very unhealthy” air quality Friday, while eight others posted unhealthy readings, prompting the closure of nearly 600 schools and affecting about 200,000 students, the Sarawak government said. Fire burns 60 hectares in Indonesia’s Mount Bromo National Park 2 MIN READ Indonesia battles growing Wildfires as Mount Bromo blaze spreads 1 MIN READ 57 Wildfire in Indonesian national park grows 1 MIN READ 57 On Borneo, Central Kalimantan Police Chief Iwan Kurniawan said investigators have detained 12 suspects linked to alleged arson and illegal land clearing in the past week. “Every forest and land fire incident in Central Kalimantan is investigated,” Kurniawan said, adding that authorities were working to determine the causes of the fires and identify those responsible. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, who visited fire-hit areas near the provincial capital of Palangka Raya on Wednesday, vowed strict action against offenders. “Whoever they are, big or small, without exception, anyone who destroys nature and forests will face strict legal action,” Antoni said. Social media was flooded with complaints from residents describing breathing difficulties and fears of illness. In total, Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry detected 11,908 hot spots nationwide in the previous 24 hours, up from 6,352 a day earlier. Forest-monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas said about 182,000 hectares (450,000 acres) burned in July alone, nearly double the area scorched during the first half of the year. The total area burned this year has reached about 285,000 hectares (704,000 acres). Indonesia regularly experiences transboundary haze during severe fire seasons, particularly when peatlands on Sumatra and Kalimantan burn. Authorities say fires are often started illegally to clear land for plantations or agriculture, periodically blanketing parts of Southeast Asia in hazardous smoke. Associated Press writers Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.