Many schools in Indonesia closed due to smoke from forest fires

Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia has to close many schools due to worsening air quality triggered by more choking smoke from forest fires.

The number of hot spots in parts of Sumatra and Borneo islands has been on the rise despite some rain, Indonesia’s weather agency said, warning that residents should be on alert for smog.

A total of 1,547 hot spots, which indicate fires or heightened risk of fire, were detected in six provinces, the agency said, adding that smoke from the blazes may affect more provinces depending on the wind direction.

Some schools which had reopened after air quality improved shut again this week.

For months, Indonesia has deployed thousands of personnel to fight the fires, utilising dozens of aircraft to conduct water bombing and cloud-seeding efforts to trigger rain.

Indonesia’s disaster agency last month said it expected the arrival of the rainy season to end the fires, which have affected more than 320,000 hectares of forests./.