Thousands of fires have been lit in Indonesia to clear land for for palm oil and paper production.
Burning the forests is a cheaper way to clear the land but the results have been devastating for the environment and people’s health. Most of the fires are taking place in peatland forests which are unique wetland ecosystems meaning rare species are being threatened. Humans too are feeling the results with a toxic smoke spreading over Indonesia and neighbouring Malaysia.
The pollution has got so bad that people are being given face masks, getting health check-ups and some people are even being evacuated. Suddenly Indonesian cities are becoming the most polluted in the world.
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