Indonesia closed more schools on Monday in parts of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, as well as providing oxygen at health centres to help treat some of the thousands suffering<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesians-choked-by-forest-fire-haze-pray-for-rain-249464"> respiratory infections</a> due to choking smoke from forest fires.

Indonesia and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are regularly hit by smoky haze from slash-and-burn clearances of forests for timber and palm oil plantations, but conditions this year have been the worst since 2015 due to an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-forest-fires-surge-stoking-global-warming-fears-249212">El Nino weather pattern</a> causing an extended dry spell.

In recent days, thick smog from fires has been drifting across cities in Borneo and Sumatra. Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency says more than 328,000 hectares of forests and peatlands have been burnt since January.

The air pollution index in Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan province on Borneo, has been at "dangerous" levels for days, data from Indonesia's Environment and Forestry Ministry showed. The air quality in other areas, such as Jambi and Riau provinces in Sumatra, also hit "unhealthy" levels.

Schools in two cities in Central Kalimantan have been closed this week due to concerns over the pollution, while schools in Riau have also been shut.

West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji had extended school closures in his province until Wednesday, according to a circular issued on Monday.

Mimi Nazir, the head of Riau's health agency, said the Sumatran province had opened 12 temporary centres in the capital Pekanbaru to treat people suffering respiratory infections.

"If people need fresh air, they can come to the houses. There's oxygen, medical staff, and basic and emergency medicines," Nazir said by telephone, adding that if people needed further treatment they could be referred to hospital.

Acute respiratory infections have affected 11,758 people in Palangka Raya, 15,346 in Riau and 15,047 in Jambi, according to data from Indonesia's Health Ministry.

The ministry distributed more than 1.2 million masks in impacted areas as well as 1,000 vials of respiratory medicine.

Poor visibility due to the smoke affected 11 airports across Sumatra and Indonesian parts of Borneo on Monday, causing 10 flight to be cancelled, 50 delayed and two diverted, air traffic control provider AirNav said in a statement.

Indonesia's flag carrier Garuda said in a statement on Monday it had cancelled at least 15 domestic flights to cities in Indonesian parts of Borneo until Thursday due to concerns over limited visibility.

Indonesia closed more schools on Monday in parts of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, as well as providing oxygen at health centres to help treat some of the thousands suffering respiratory infections due to choking smoke from forest fires.

Indonesia closed more schools on Monday in parts of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, as well as providing oxygen at health centres to help treat some of the thousands suffering respiratory infections due to choking smoke from forest fires. Indonesia and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are regularly hit by smoky haze from slash-and-burn clearances of forests for timber and palm oil plantations, but conditions this year have been the worst since 2015 due to an El Nino weather pattern causing an extended dry spell. In recent days, thick smog from fires has been drifting across cities in Borneo and Sumatra. Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency says more than 328,000 hectares of forests and peatlands have been burnt since January. The air pollution index in Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan province on Borneo, has been at "dangerous" levels for days, data from Indonesia's Environment and Forestry Ministry showed. The air quality in other areas, such as Jambi and Riau provinces in Sumatra, also hit "unhealthy" levels. Schools in two cities in Central Kalimantan have been closed this week due to concerns over the pollution, while schools in Riau have also been shut. West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji had extended school closures in his province until Wednesday, according to a circular issued on Monday. Mimi Nazir, the head of Riau's health agency, said the Sumatran province had opened 12 temporary centres in the capital Pekanbaru to treat people suffering respiratory infections. "If people need fresh air, they can come to the houses. There's oxygen, medical staff, and basic and emergency medicines," Nazir said by telephone, adding that if people needed further treatment they could be referred to hospital. Acute respiratory infections have affected 11,758 people in Palangka Raya, 15,346 in Riau and 15,047 in Jambi, according to data from Indonesia's Health Ministry. The ministry distributed more than 1.2 million masks in impacted areas as well as 1,000 vials of respiratory medicine. Poor visibility due to the smoke affected 11 airports across Sumatra and Indonesian parts of Borneo on Monday, causing 10 flight to be cancelled, 50 delayed and two diverted, air traffic control provider AirNav said in a statement. Indonesia's flag carrier Garuda said in a statement on Monday it had cancelled at least 15 domestic flights to cities in Indonesian parts of Borneo until Thursday due to concerns over limited visibility.

Indonesia shuts schools as forest fires choke Borneo, Sumatra islands

Hundreds held a mass prayer for rain in a smoke-filled Indonesian city on Friday, desperately hoping that downpours will extinguish <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-forest-fires-surge-stoking-global-warming-fears-249212">forest fires</a> and wash away toxic haze covering wide swathes of the country that has forced mass school closures.

Illegal fires to clear land for farming are raging on Indonesia's Sumatra and Borneo islands with firefighters battling round the clock through charred forests, and water-bombing helicopters deployed to douse the flames.

Dense smoke has blanketed Pekanbaru, a provincial capital on Sumatra, leaving the sky dark even at midday and residents fearing for their health.

Around 1,000 Pekanbaru residents, many dressed in white Muslim robes with rudimentary face masks held a prayer Friday in an open field as a thick, acrid fog drifted around them.

"I'm praying so that the rain will come immediately and this smog will be gone soon," said retired 57-year-old civil servant Rahmad, who goes by one name.

"It's been really bad for the past month &nbsp; I can't breathe if I don't wear a mask. Some of my neighbours have gotten really sick," he AFP.

Friday is a holy day in Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, where forest fires are an annual problem but have been worsened this year by particularly dry weather.

Fatimah El-Kareem, a 26-year-mother, fled Pekanbaru with her baby over health fears.

"I was so worried. My child is only one year old and still so vulnerable," she told AFP by telephone from hometown in another part of Sumatra.

"The smog isn't only suffocating, but it smells terrible. Every morning it was just getting worse and worse you couldn't get any fresh air," she added.

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International concern has been mounting about the long-term impact of such blazes, as rainforests play a vital role in protecting the planet against global warming.

'Never been this tired' 

The haze really affects me tremendously. I can't breathe or do things outside as I normally do," elementary school teacher Yulinar said at the mass prayer, coughing and squinting her bloodshot eyes.

The 45-year-old, who also uses one name, said she hoped she and her students could soon return to their shuttered school.

The governor of smog-hit Central Kalimantan on Borneo island which Indonesia shares with Malaysia and Brunei said Friday nearly 3,900 schools would be closed temporarily to protect students, with more than 9,000 shuttered in Sumatra.

Officials across the border in Malaysia said dozens of schools would be closed on Friday in the region surrounding its haze-hit capital Kuala Lumpur.

Back in Sumatra, Hendri Kusnardi was among thousands of firefighters deployed to battle the blazes."We're working non-stop," said the 25-year-old, dirty and drenched in sweat.

"I've never been this tired. But I'm not the only one &nbsp; everyone's exhausted."

The fires in Indonesia have sent toxic smoke floating over Malaysia, triggering a diplomatic row, as nearby Singapore has also warned residents to reduce outdoor activities.

Frictions spiked after Malaysian Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin this week accused her Indonesian counterpart of being "in denial" after Jakarta insisted fires in Malaysia had caused the smog there.

On Friday, Indonesia said it had sealed off dozens of plantations where smog-belching fires are blazing, and warned that owners including Malaysia and Singapore-based firms could face criminal charges if the investigation turns up evidence of illegal burning.

Jakarta is struggling to tame the blazes as many burn underground in carbon-rich peat, which has been cleared across vast areas of the country for plantations.

"I hope farmers and companies stop starting these fires," Rahmad said in Pekanbaru. "It's a man-made disaster."

Hundreds held a mass prayer for rain in a smoke-filled Indonesian city on Friday, desperately hoping that downpours will extinguish forest fires and wash away toxic haze covering wide swathes of the country that has forced mass school closures.

Hundreds held a mass prayer for rain in a smoke-filled Indonesian city on Friday, desperately hoping that downpours will extinguish forest fires and wash away toxic haze covering wide swathes of the country that has forced mass school closures. Illegal fires to clear land for farming are raging on Indonesia's Sumatra and Borneo islands with firefighters battling round the clock through charred forests, and water-bombing helicopters deployed to douse the flames. Dense smoke has blanketed Pekanbaru, a provincial capital on Sumatra, leaving the sky dark even at midday and residents fearing for their health. Around 1,000 Pekanbaru residents, many dressed in white Muslim robes with rudimentary face masks held a prayer Friday in an open field as a thick, acrid fog drifted around them. "I'm praying so that the rain will come immediately and this smog will be gone soon," said retired 57-year-old civil servant Rahmad, who goes by one name. "It's been really bad for the past month I can't breathe if I don't wear a mask. Some of my neighbours have gotten really sick," he AFP. Friday is a holy day in Indonesia, the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, where forest fires are an annual problem but have been worsened this year by particularly dry weather. Fatimah El-Kareem, a 26-year-mother, fled Pekanbaru with her baby over health fears. "I was so worried. My child is only one year old and still so vulnerable," she told AFP by telephone from hometown in another part of Sumatra. "The smog isn't only suffocating, but it smells terrible. Every morning it was just getting worse and worse you couldn't get any fresh air," she added. Watch Video: × International concern has been mounting about the long-term impact of such blazes, as rainforests play a vital role in protecting the planet against global warming. 'Never been this tired' The haze really affects me tremendously. I can't breathe or do things outside as I normally do," elementary school teacher Yulinar said at the mass prayer, coughing and squinting her bloodshot eyes. The 45-year-old, who also uses one name, said she hoped she and her students could soon return to their shuttered school. The governor of smog-hit Central Kalimantan on Borneo island which Indonesia shares with Malaysia and Brunei said Friday nearly 3,900 schools would be closed temporarily to protect students, with more than 9,000 shuttered in Sumatra. Officials across the border in Malaysia said dozens of schools would be closed on Friday in the region surrounding its haze-hit capital Kuala Lumpur. Back in Sumatra, Hendri Kusnardi was among thousands of firefighters deployed to battle the blazes."We're working non-stop," said the 25-year-old, dirty and drenched in sweat. "I've never been this tired. But I'm not the only one everyone's exhausted." The fires in Indonesia have sent toxic smoke floating over Malaysia, triggering a diplomatic row, as nearby Singapore has also warned residents to reduce outdoor activities. Frictions spiked after Malaysian Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin this week accused her Indonesian counterpart of being "in denial" after Jakarta insisted fires in Malaysia had caused the smog there. On Friday, Indonesia said it had sealed off dozens of plantations where smog-belching fires are blazing, and warned that owners including Malaysia and Singapore-based firms could face criminal charges if the investigation turns up evidence of illegal burning. Jakarta is struggling to tame the blazes as many burn underground in carbon-rich peat, which has been cleared across vast areas of the country for plantations. "I hope farmers and companies stop starting these fires," Rahmad said in Pekanbaru. "It's a man-made disaster."

Indonesians choked by forest fire haze pray for rain

Forest fires have raged through parts of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the province of Kalimantan on Borneo in recent weeks, forcing the government to send in thousands of military and police to douse the flames. Hospitals in Riau province, Indonesia, announced on Tuesday (September 10) an increase in patients suffering from respiratory problems, due to poor air quality caused by slash-and-burn farming practices.

Indonesia: Forest fires force schools to shut

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Indonesia shuts schools as forest fires choke Borneo, Sumatra islands

Indonesians choked by forest fire haze pray for rain

Indonesia: Forest fires force schools to shut