Wildfires burning across Indonesia during the dry season have sent thick haze into neighboring Malaysia, forcing authorities to suspend outdoor school activities in affected areas as firefighters continue efforts to contain the blazes.

One of the largest fires broke out last week in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, where authorities said around 900 hectares of land had been affected. The blaze spread across 36 locations, burning dry grasslands, vegetation and protected edelweiss flowers.

The Mount Bromo tourist area, one of Indonesia’s most visited attractions, has been closed while firefighters work to prevent the flames from spreading further into the protected park.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said active hotspots remain at two locations inside the park and expressed confidence they would be brought under control by the end of the week.

Across Indonesia, forest and peatland fires have intensified as dry weather persists. BNPB said nearly 48,900 hectares of peatland had burned in six fire-prone provinces as of Monday.

West Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, is among the hardest-hit regions. In the provincial capital of Pontianak, schools suspended in-person classes after air quality deteriorated and respiratory illnesses increased.

The Indonesian government has stepped up its response by deploying more than 35 aircraft, including water-bombing planes, helicopters and surveillance aircraft, to support firefighting operations in Sumatra and Borneo.

Officials warned that peatland fires remain especially difficult to extinguish because they can continue burning underground long after surface flames have disappeared, increasing the risk of new flare-ups.

Smoke from the fires has also crossed Indonesia’s borders. According to BNPB satellite monitoring, haze from wildfires in West Kalimantan reached parts of Malaysia on several days this month.

Air quality has deteriorated in Sarawak, which borders Indonesia’s Kalimantan region. Malaysia’s Environment Ministry reported that the number of locations recording unhealthy air quality had risen to 11 by Tuesday morning, prompting state authorities to suspend outdoor activities at schools in the affected areas.

Indonesian authorities say many of the country’s forest and peatland fires are started illegally to clear land for agriculture. During the dry season, the resulting haze frequently spreads across Southeast Asia, disrupting daily life and posing health risks in neighboring countries.(ILKHA)