Riau Forest Fires: 40 Individuals Named Suspects, Companies Unscathed?

Riau Province Police have named 40 individuals as suspects in forest and land fires (Karhutla) that scorched 904 hectares across the province in 2026. Notably, all suspects are individuals, with no companies yet implicated. Ade Kuncoro Ridwan, Director of Special Criminal Investigation at Riau Police, stated that investigations are ongoing as hotspots continue to appear in various areas. "The investigation does not stop at who was at the location when the fire occurred. We construct each case comprehensively to ensure how the fire started, its motives, who is responsible, and whether there are other parties connected to the event," he was quoted as saying by CNN Indonesia. He added that legal proceedings are being conducted with a scientific criminal investigation approach, basing investigations and evidence to unravel elements of unlawful acts, fault, and criminal liability. Meanwhile, the environmental NGO Walhi Riau reported in May 2026 that at least four corporate concessions in Riau experienced forest fires. These include PT Sekato Pratama Makmur (SPM) and PT Meskom Agro Sarimas (MAS) in Bengkalis Regency, PT Arara Abadi (AA) in Pelalawan Regency, and PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) in Siak Regency. At the end of July, Eko Yunanda, Executive Director of Walhi Riau, submitted their findings and analysis on these four companies to the police. Ade Kuncoro, Director of Special Criminal Investigation at Riau Police, directly received the report. Mongabay Indonesia sent a request for a response via WhatsApp on August 21, 2026, but received no reply. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLH/BPLH) confirmed these findings after being contacted by Mongabay Indonesia, stating, "Based on hotspot monitoring... This article was originally published on Mongabay