Authorities arrest 72 in connection to Borneo forest fires

Indonesian authorities arrested 72 people suspected of starting forest and peatland fires that have blanketed parts of Borneo, the world's third-largest island shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Authorities are deploying water bombs with the help of helicopters as they continued to work to put out the blaze.

The fires are concentrated in South Sumatra province where more than 1,700 hotspots were detected.

Authorities have stepped up law enforcement by arrested 72 suspects linked to alleged arson and illegal land clearing on plantations and farms in the past week.