Orange haze blankets Indonesia as wildfires rage in Kalimantan

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 04:50 · Archive

Wildfires in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province have created an orange haze blanketing the region and affecting neighbouring countries.

Wildfires across Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province have created an orange haze blanketing the region. The thick smog has descended on the city of Palangka Raya and drifted throughout the area, with the haze spreading to neighbouring countries.

The air quality has reached dangerous levels. According to the national environment ministry, the ISPU air pollution index exceeded 1,200 in Palangka Raya on Wednesday, four times higher than the 'hazardous' level of 300. The toxic smog is affecting millions of people across Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Authorities have attributed the intense haze partly to 'slash and burn' agricultural clearing methods, which compound the effects of the wildfires. Schools in Malaysia have closed due to the poor air quality.

How it is being reported

• Watch: Orange haze blankets Indonesia's Kalimantan regionThick orange smog descended on the Indonesian city of Palangka Raya as wildfires continue raging nearby.BBC Science · 15 Oct, 04:26
• Sky turns orange as wildfires rage across IndonesiaAn orange haze is blanketing Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan as wildfires rage across the province.Al Jazeera · 14 Oct, 21:39

In this story: Indonesia · Central Kalimantan · Palangka Raya · Singapore · Malaysia

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem