In brief
A dense orange smog has descended on the city of Palangka Raya in Indonesia’s Kalimantan island, so dense that it has covered the skies in an orange haze. Witnesses captured videos of the haze swarming over the region, where wildfires continue to rage. The national environment ministry reports the Indonesia State Pollution Index has jumped above 1,200, far exceeding the 300 ‘hazardous’ level. Authorities point to widespread slash‑and‑burn clearing as a key catalyst for the severe air quality crisis that now also affects Singapore and Malaysia.
A thick orange smog has descended on the Indonesian city of Palangka Raya, turning the skyline into a murky curtain of orange. Video footage captured by residents shows the haze rolling over the Kalimantan region, in close proximity to active wildfires that are still blazing in the hinterlands.
The Indonesia State Pollution Index, monitored by the national environment ministry, has leapt to more than 1,200 – a figure that is four times higher than the hazardous benchmark of 300. This level signifies immediate danger to public health, with authorities warning of respiratory complications and eye irritation.
The haze that now smothers the region has found the “slash and burn” method of agricultural clearing to be a major contributor. When fields are cleared by open burning, the released particulates and chemicals rapidly disperse through the atmosphere, pairing with hot, dry conditions to create the thick orange plume seen today.
The far‑reaching impact of this smog is not confined to Indonesia alone. Air quality reports from Singapore and Malaysia have also recorded elevated levels of fine particulate matter, underscoring a regional crisis that calls for urgent cross‑border cooperation and stricter enforcement of forest‑fire regulations.
