500-Hectare Land and Forest Fire Uncovered, Pelalawan Police Arrest Land Burner
Pelalawan, VIVA – A case of land and forest fires (karhutla) has resurfaced in Riau. The Pelalawan Resort Police successfully uncovered a land-burning incident in Teluk Meranti subdistrict, Pelalawan Regency, affecting hundreds of hectares.
A man with the initials ES was secured as the suspect in this case, which has had a major impact on the environment.
Pelalawan Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner of Police John Louis Letedara, revealed that the case was initially detected through the appearance of hotspots on the Lancang Kuning Dashboard in February 2026 in Dusun III, Gambut Mutiara Village.
“Upon receiving information about the hotspot, the Satreskrim team from Pelalawan Resort Police immediately went to the location and conducted an investigation. From the field investigation results and witness statements, we managed to secure one suspect,” John told reporters on Sunday, 5 April 2026.
From the investigation, the suspect was found to have intentionally cleared land by burning for plantation purposes. The method used involved gathering branches, grass, and oil palm fronds, then burning them gradually from January to March 2026.
“Initially, the suspect denied his actions, but after in-depth examination supported by witness statements and physical evidence at the scene, he finally admitted to repeatedly burning the land,” he said.
The fire triggered by this action did not occur at a single point. The flames spread to around 500 hectares of peatland, exacerbating environmental damage and increasing the risk of haze in the area.
“The area of burnt land is estimated at around 500 hectares. This is a serious concern because the impacts are widespread, both on the environment and public health,” he stated.
In this uncovering, the police also seized evidence consisting of one machete and oil palm fronds used in the burning activity.
The Police Chief emphasised that karhutla is a serious crime that not only violates the law but also threatens ecosystems and community life.
“Karhutla criminal acts are crimes against the environment and humanity. We will not tolerate anyone who intentionally clears land by burning,” he said.
For his actions, the suspect is charged under Article 56 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 108 of Law No. 39 of 2014 on Plantations as amended by Law No. 6 of 2023 on Job Creation, as well as Article 98 of Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management.