PEKANBARU: Indonesia is battling a rash of forest fires as it raised an alert over the blazes which occur every year and emit choking smog that can envelop neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia. Fires have broken out in four provinces – South Sumatra, Riau, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan – prompting them to declare "alert emergency" status, one notch below the most severe warning. This aerial photo taken on Feb 22, 2018 shows an area of smoke coming from forest fires in Riau. (AFP PHOTO / Ferdian ERIANDY)The annual forest fires on Sumatra island and the Indonesian part of Borneo island typically occur during the months-long dry season which usually begins in January. In 2015 massive forest fires in Indonesia destroyed some two million hectares and sparked a massive haze outbreak over Singapore and Malaysia, leading to diplomatic frictions.

Source: New Strait Times February 23, 2018 05:03 UTC