Indonesia wildfire fuelled by El Niño razes almost 300 homes

A wildfire on Indonesia's Sumatra island has destroyed nearly 300 homes, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate. The fire, fueled by the El Niño weather pattern, is the worst in a decade, according to officials. Residents in Bangka Belitung province first saw the fire on Saturday and tried to extinguish it with portable water pumps.

However, the fire was burning on peatland, which smoldered underground. When the wind shifted, the fire quickly moved toward the settlement. Nearly 1,000 people fled the village. "My house is gone," said Leni, a 55-year-old woman staying at a shelter. She could only save herself and her children. The village had been built on converted peatland that was previously a protected area.

The fires have created severe haze, causing tens of thousands of respiratory illnesses and affecting air quality in Singapore and Malaysia. Analysts say the area burned could match the 2015 fires, which charred 2.6 million hectares. Wildlife has also been devastated. Eight orangutans were relocated to a protected forest, and at least 46 have been rescued since August. Experts warn that many animals will face shortages of habitat, prey, and water after the fires.

Sources: theguardian.com