El Niño-driven forest fires blanket Southeast Asia, closing schools in Malaysia

Indonesia reports 799 active forest fires, concentrated in Sumatra and Borneo, with smoke spreading across Southeast Asia, forcing hundreds of school closures in Malaysia and affecting Singapore and the Philippines. The fires are linked to El Niño-induced drought, which also hampers firefighting due to water shortages. This is a recurring seasonal pattern, but the scale and cross-border impact elevate regional health and economic concerns.