Indonesia’s skies turn orange as haze blankets Singapore
Wildfire smoke has turned the skies over Palangkaraya an apocalyptic orange, cutting visibility to just a few dozen metres. Aerial footage shows the capital of Central Kalimantan almost swallowed by haze, with the Talawang roundabout and a nearby statue barely discernible. Hundreds of kilometres away, Singapore is also blanketed in smoke. The Marina Bay Sands complex is nearly indistinguishable against the skyline, and roads, bridges, and passing vehicles are shrouded in dense haze.
The pollution stems from fires burning across Indonesia for months. Smoke has spread beyond the country’s borders to Malaysia, the Philippines, and East Timor. Authorities there ordered schools to close for three days due to the smoke. The scenes in Palangkaraya and Singapore reveal a regional crisis that affects daily life far beyond the fire zones.
