Wildfires Rage Across Indonesia, Closing 108 Schools in Neighboring Malaysia Due to Smog

Heavy smoke from ongoing wildfires across various parts of Indonesia has forced the closure of over 100 schools in neighboring Malaysia.

According to local media outlet Bernama and Reuters on the 13th (local time), 108 schools in the Serian district of Sarawak, Malaysia, were recently closed.

The measure was taken as thick smoke drifted into Malaysia from wildfires raging across parts of neighboring Indonesia, sharply deteriorating air quality.

Borneo, where Sarawak is located, is the third-largest island in the world and is divided among three countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

According to Malaysia's Department of Environment, the air pollution index in the Serian district reached 202 yesterday afternoon, and unhealthy levels were also observed in 11 surrounding areas.

Malaysia classifies its air pollution index as "unhealthy" for readings between 101 and 200, "very unhealthy" for 201 to 300, and "hazardous" for 300 and above.

Indonesia has been plagued by consecutive wildfires driven by dry weather, as recent El Nino conditions overlap with the dry season.

Wildfires have broken out in various regions, including Java, Borneo, and Sumatra islands, prompting the deployment of 48,000 firefighters and disaster response personnel.

Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry stated that 1,612 fire hotspots have been detected so far this month, a sharp increase compared to 758 hotspots last month.

The ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre also expressed concern, noting that the surge in fire hotspots in Indonesia has led to an increase in transboundary haze crossing national borders.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology stated in a recent tropical climate report that the prolonged drought and scorching heat in Indonesia are directly linked to strengthening El Nino conditions, which have also caused crop losses and water shortages.

Indonesia's Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) expects the risk of wildfires to peak between August and September of this year due to dry weather and strong winds.

It also projected that the El Nino phenomenon will reach its peak in December of this year and January of next year.

Previously, massive wildfires in Indonesia in 2019 sent smoke across neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, as well as Thailand and the Philippines, severely degrading air quality.

According to the World Bank, those wildfires damaged at least 942,000 hectares of land, with economic losses estimated at a minimum of about 7 trillion Korean won.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.