Photos Show How Badly the Haze Is Affecting Southeast Asia · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A family riding a motorcycle wear masks as protection against the haze in Riau Province, Indonesia. Photo by Fachrozi Amri, Copyright @Demotix (9/17/2015)
A massive forest fire in Indonesia has worsened the air pollution levels in several parts of the Southeast Asian region. The blaze, caused by drought and land-clearing operations, brought haze not only to the skies of Indonesia, but also in Malaysia and Singapore.
Haze is a recurring problem which is blamed by many on slash and burn practices of small farmers and big palm oil plantations. Indonesia has vowed to go after these individuals and companies to stop the burning of the forest.
Meanwhile, the fire is still spreading in the western part of Indonesia, and the smoke continues to descend in several cities of the country and in nearby Malaysia and Singapore.
Below are some photos which show how residents of the region are suffering from the impact of the haze.
A volunteer try to extinguish a fire in a peatland in Rimbo Long, Kampar, Riau province, Indonesia. Photo by Fachrozi Amri, Copyright @Demotix (9/14/2015)
Soldiers extinguish the fire that burned peatlands in Rimbo Long, Kampar, Riau Province, Indonesia's Sumatra. Photo by Fachrozi Amri, Copyright @Demotix (9/16/2015)
A jogger uses a mask as protection against the haze in Riau Province, Indonesia. Photo by Fachrozi Amri, Copyright @Demotix (9/17/2015)
A vendor wearing a mask sells newspaper as the city of Pekanbaru in Indonesia is enveloped with haze. Photo by Fachrozi Amri, Copyright @Demotix (9/14/2015)
Thick haze covered Sultan Syarif Kasim II airport in Riau Province, Indonesia which resulted in the delay and cancellation of some domestic and international flights. Photo by Fachrozi Amri, Copyright @Demotix (9/15/2015)
A man wearing a face mask checks his smartphone while the city of Johor in Malaysia is blanketed by a thick haze. Photo by Fadzil Daud, Copyright @Demotix (9/13/2015)
A boy covers up his face while playing football in Kuala Lumpur. The iconic buildings (Back) of Kuala Lumpur are seen shrouded by haze. Photo by Mukhriz Hazim Mohammad Zabidi, Copyright @Demotix (9/13/2015)
A student wears a face mask during a school assembly due to haze that hit several states in Malaysia. Photo by Fadzil Daud, Copyright @Demotix (9/13/2015)
The air pollution index soared to an unhealthy level in Malaysia forcing students to wear face masks in school. Photo by Fadzil Daud, Copyright @Demotix (9/13/2015)
Singapore’s National Environment Agency issued this advisory on September 17, 2015, about the health impact of the haze:
Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, healthy persons should reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion. The elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion. Persons who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should seek medical attention.
Twitter users from Singapore are sharing photos through the hashtag #sghaze. The iconic Marina Bays Sands of Singapore is shrouded with haze
200 PSI is the new 400 PSI. #sghaze [Photo by my friend WK] pic.twitter.com/i0bGUWwfbZ
— mrbrown (@mrbrown) September 14, 2015
Will this lead to heaven #sghaze pic.twitter.com/Z3BuAnhrxt
— o,o (@jinglebells61) September 14, 2015
And finally, this parody of a Hollywood movie poster mocks the situation in Singapore today:
If Maze Runner is filmed in Singapore #sghaze pic.twitter.com/i0KTTfgZhc
— ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ (@M2CTR) September 13, 2015