Smoke from ongoing fires in Indonesia's Borneo and Sumatra regions has affected millions of people across Southeast Asia, disrupting education and worsening air quality. Dry El Niño conditions have exacerbated the situation by intensifying emissions and health impacts.

The haze is primarily caused by land-clearing practices that rely on burning to prepare fields for agriculture. This method releases large amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere, leading to severe air quality issues.

Historically, Southeast Asia has faced recurrent episodes of smoke pollution due to these fires, which not only affect human health but also have long-term ecological and economic consequences.