Indonesia Wildfires: Thousands deployed to fight massive wildfire

But a top focus on Climate Tracker today. Singapore remained shrouded in thick haze on Thursday. The smoke from Indonesia's worst wildfire season in 11 years continued to spread across Southeast Asia. The pollution crisis has spread beyond Singapore, with thick smoke drifting into neighboring Malaysia and East Timor, and as far as the Philippines. Singapore received some showers on Thursday morning, but it did little to improve air quality. Pollution levels in parts of the city-state remained at very unhealthy levels after fine particulate matter reached its highest level of the year on Wednesday. Singapore's National Environment Agency recorded PM2.5 concentrations of 288 micrograms per cubic metre in western Singapore, placing air pollution in the country's highest category. The recorded concentration was far above the World Health Organization's recommended annual average exposure level of five micrograms per cubic meter. Now, Singapore has introduced subsidies for haze-related medical treatment, a measure last activated in the year 2015. Authorities brought forward the distribution of N95 masks to vulnerable residents as the haze persisted. However, supplies appeared to be under pressure, with supermarket shelves normally stocked with face masks, largely empty. Meanwhile, East Timor announced a nationwide three-day school closure. Beginning Thursday, the government urged families to keep children indoors and use respiratory protection while going outside. Malaysia has also faced the effects of the haze with several states closing schools. Foreign Minister Mohamed Hassan said on Wednesday that Malaysian and Indonesian authorities had begun discussions on possible cooperation to address the worsening pollution. Indonesia has struggled for weeks to contain wildfires that have burned through hundreds of thousands of hectares of forests and plantations on Sumatra and Borneo. Wildfires have also affected Papua. Indonesian authorities reported that more than 280,000 respiratory problems have been recorded in haze-affected regions since 18th of August. The fires have been fueled by unusually dry conditions associated with a powerful El Nino cycle. Indonesia regularly experiences wildfires during the dry season, but this year's blazes have been particularly intense. A thick orange haze blanketed central Kalimantan on Wednesday. Environment Ministry data showed Indonesia's air pollution index over 1,200, four times higher than the hazardous level of 300. on Wednesday Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto ordered the government on Monday to mobilize maximum efforts to fight the fires. Officials said more than 60 000 personnel had been deployed to combat the blazes on the ground authorities have also attempted cloud seeding and water bombing operations but these measures have so far achieved limited success