World

Rainforest fires trigger smog alerts in Indonesia and Malaysia

September 14, 2019 8:14 am

Indonesia and Malaysia have issued severe smog alerts as fires rage in large sections of their rainforests.

Both countries have closed schools and issued face masks.

Satellite images show almost 1,000 fires are burning in the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan and Sumatra, while 10 are burning in Malaysia.

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Many of the fires are started by illegal land clearing to make way for palm oil plantations or for subsistence farming.