Police Arrest Person on Charge of Igniting Land Fire on 5 Hectares of Land

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - West Kalimantan Police have arrested a resident of Kubu Raya District  on charge of igniting land fire in Bansir Laut Village of Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

"The suspect was arrested on Saturday (Feb. 27) not far from his land and is detained at West Kalimantan Police headquarters for further legal process," an official of the West Kalimantan Police' special crime unit Adjunct Senior Commissioner Sardo Mangatur Pardamean Sibarani said in a statement on Sunday.

The suspect identified by his initials as SB (41) allegedly burned his land to clear it for farming on February 22 but the fire spread uncontrollably to the neighboring land.

"After setting  fire to his 10 x 20 meter land, the suspect left his land and the fire spread to other farmers' land. The fire consumed some five hectares of land," Sardo said.

SB wrapped an inner tube on a stick and ignited the fire. He added some woods to the fire and left the land.

Unfortunately, the fire has spread uncontrollably to other farmers' land in the village.

The police has questioned SB in the investigation of the case.

Pontianak administration has declared state of alert of land and forest fire after haze started to cover some parts of the city in the last week of February due to land fire.

Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono said his administration has established a task force of forest anf land fire prevention in the city. "The team has involved various parties including the military and police, Pontianak municipality administration, and the public including private fire fighters," he said.

Read: Minister Admits Poor Law Enforcement Against Forest Arsonists

ANTARA