Fires in Indonesia

 In Indonesia, more than 121,000 fires, primarily on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, burned more than 1.7 million hectares of forest and jungle from September through October 2015. Most were set illegally by farmers and agricultural companies to clear land. 

The fires created unhealthy air conditions in Indonesia as well as in neighboring Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Air conditions caused by the fires were blamed for the deaths of 10 people and for causing respiratory problems in more than 500,000 others in the region.

On Nov. 3, fires on the slopes of Mount Merapi, a popular tourist spot on the island of Java, caused officials to close hiking trails and evacuate 250 hikers.