JAKARTA: Severe wildfires are burning across parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan, sending thick, hazardous smoke across Indonesia and into neighboring countries.
About 1.4 million students in six Indonesian provinces have moved to remote learning because of dangerous air pollution. Malaysia and the Philippines have also reported worsening air quality.
Indonesia has deployed thousands of firefighters, water-bombing aircraft and cloud-seeding operations to contain the fires. Authorities are also taking legal action against companies linked to affected areas.
Dry conditions, intensified by El Niño, are making the fires harder to control. The blazes are also threatening wildlife, including orangutans in Borneo.
Officials say September could be a critical month as Indonesia works to contain the fires and prevent further regional haze.
