Indonesia's forest fires mostly outside Malaysian concessions: official

Government spokesman Fahmi said the fires ravaging parts of Indonesia are largely concentrated in regions outside concessions operated by Malaysian firms, in remarks addressing concerns about the scale and impact of the ongoing crisis.

The clarification came after a fire spread into a Genting Plantations estate from adjacent land, which authorities subsequently extinguished. The incident highlighted how blazes originating beyond company boundaries can threaten commercial operations in the region.

Indonesia has struggled with recurring forest and land fires, particularly during the dry season, which have major implications for air quality across Southeast Asia. The fires can originate from agricultural clearing, peatland drainage, and other land-use practices across both private and government-controlled territories.

The remarks suggest that while Malaysian-owned concessions have been affected, the bulk of current fire activity is taking place in areas outside their operational control, though officials did not provide specific geographic or statistical breakdown of the affected regions.

Authorities have intensified firefighting efforts across multiple provinces as the dry season continues, coordinating with both private landowners and local communities to contain the spread of flames across the archipelago.