Indonesia Wildfires Reach Crisis Levels as Haze Shuts Schools

Smoke from massive forest fires has sent carbon emissions soaring and caused a spike in respiratory illnesses across the country.

Indonesia is facing a major emergency. Massive forest fires are burning across the country, and the situation is getting worse. Data shows that these fires are now releasing more carbon emissions than anywhere else in the world. These fires are being supercharged by El Niño, a weather pattern that brings hot, dry conditions. This makes it very easy for the fires to spread quickly. The human cost is high. The thick smoke, or haze, is causing serious health problems. The government says that the number of people getting respiratory infections—illnesses that make it hard to breathe—has double…