A thick plume of smoke rising above an Indonesian forest during wildfire season.
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AP News
Authorities have arrested 72 people for starting fires as dry weather turns Indonesia's forests into tinderboxes.
Indonesia is currently dealing with a serious wildfire crisis. The situation is getting worse because of a climate event called El Niño, which is causing very dry weather across the country. These dry conditions make it much easier for fires to start and spread quickly. Local police are taking action against those who set fires. So far, they have arrested 72 people suspected of starting these blazes. In many cases, people use fire to clear land for farming, but in this dry weather, those small fires can quickly turn into massive, out-of-control wildfires. Because of the danger, the governm…
