Indonesia Refutes Smog Drift Claims to Malaysia

Indonesia's environment ministry denies that the forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo have affected air quality in neighboring Malaysia, despite Malaysia's Department of Environment warning of high pollution levels due to trans-boundary haze from Indonesia. Indonesia's dry season this year has been severe, exacerbating the forest fires, and authorities are focusing on extinguishing them with water bombing. The fires have burned over 267,900 hectares of forests so far this year, causing haze in several cities. Some areas reported visibility of less than 10 meters, leading to remote learning for students in affected cities.