Haze from Indonesia forest fires blankets Visayas, Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Thick smoke due to forest fires in Indonesia has blanketed parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

The Environment and Management Bureau (EMB) said it is conducting tests to determine if the quality of air has reached dangerous levels.

Palawan, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Northern and Eastern Samar as well as Dinagat Island in Surigao are among those placed under a haze alert.

Also under haze alert are Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Maguindanao, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental and Sarangani.

The EMB said the haze is being enhanced by the southwest monsoon.

The agency said haze could pose health risks, such as respiratory tract infection and heart ailments. It called on the public to wear masks when going out.

Toxic haze from Indonesian forest fires closed thousands of schools across the country and in Malaysia on Wednesday. Air quality in Singapor also worsened.

Illegal fires to clear land for agriculture are blazing out of control on Sumatra and Borneo islands, with Jakarta deploying thousands of security forces and water-bombing aircraft to tackle them. — AFP