Indonesia wildfire haze spreading to surrounding countries

Indonesia wildfire haze spreading to surrounding countries

Haze from the ongoing massive wildfires in Indonesia has spread to neighboring Malaysia and elsewhere, forcing school closures in affected countries.

Indonesia has been hit by a spate of forest and peat fires this year. Fire fighting operations are underway.

Indonesia's weather authorities say weather conditions known as the El Nino phenomenon and a dry season have coincided to make forests and land highly flammable.

The haze is spreading beyond Indonesia to Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere. It is blanketing cities, forcing some schools to cancel classes and disrupting transportation.

The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre warns of a high risk of severe transboundary haze across the region. It is calling on residents to be on the alert.

The Indonesian government says more than 280,000 people have complained of respiratory illnesses. There are concerns about possible health problems in surrounding countries.