Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan. Indonesia has initiated legal proceedings against around 30 companies in connection with forest and land fires throughout 2026, with potential state and environmental losses approaching Rp 15 trillion ($846.7 million), Environment Minister Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat said on Monday.

The estimated losses comprise Rp 5 trillion in financial losses to the state and nearly Rp 10 trillion in environmental restoration costs, Jumhur said while inspecting firefighting operations in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan.

“Law enforcement is already underway, and we are currently taking legal action against around 30 companies,” Jumhur told reporters. “They must pay for state losses and environmental restoration.”

He stressed that the government’s response to forest and land fires extends beyond extinguishing the flames and includes pursuing legal accountability for state losses and environmental restoration where responsibility is established through the legal process.

The government is also continuing mitigation efforts to prevent fires from spreading, Jumhur said.

During his visit to Banjarbaru, the minister said forest and land fires have affected around 8,000 hectares in South Kalimantan so far this year, substantially below the roughly 190,000 hectares affected in 2023.

Jumhur said the significant reduction in the area affected by fires indicated that preventive mitigation efforts undertaken before the fire season had been effective.

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