Jakarta, September 17, 2026: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for tougher regulations and stronger legal action against people and companies responsible for starting forest and land fires as the country battles one of its most severe wildfire seasons in more than a decade.

The fires have particularly affected parts of Borneo and Sumatra, where prolonged dry conditions have allowed flames to spread across forests and agricultural areas. Authorities have linked the difficult conditions to an unusually strong El Niño weather pattern, which has contributed to heat and drought.

The resulting smoke has created hazardous air conditions in several Indonesian provinces and has also crossed national borders, affecting air quality in neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

At a cabinet meeting, President Prabowo instructed government officials to strengthen legal measures against those responsible for deliberately using fire to clear land. He also asked authorities to consider stronger legislation and directed police to investigate companies suspected of violating fire-prevention requirements.

The Indonesian government has also moved against businesses operating in areas where fires have been detected. Around 50 companies across eight provinces have been sealed while authorities investigate whether they were connected to the fires.

The scale of the environmental damage has been substantial. Government data show that approximately 202,000 hectares were affected by fires between January and July, while an environmental assessment estimated that another 600,000 hectares were damaged in August.

The health impact is also becoming increasingly visible. More than 113,000 wildfire-related respiratory illness cases were recorded in seven affected provinces between September 1 and September 9, more than double the figure recorded at the beginning of the month.

Indonesia has deployed more than 50 aircraft for firefighting operations, including water bombing and cloud-seeding missions. Japan has also provided CH-47 Chinook helicopters to support efforts to control the fires.

Forestry officials have warned that the crisis could continue into late October or early November because the arrival of the rainy season is expected to be delayed.

The latest government response indicates that Indonesia is combining emergency firefighting operations with stricter enforcement against activities believed to contribute to forest and land fires. The coming weeks will be closely watched as authorities assess whether changing weather conditions can help bring the wildfire crisis under control.