Four people died fighting fires on Indonesia’s Java island, which have spread poisonous smoke over Southeast Asia, halted schools, and prompted an increase in respiratory complaints, authorities said Friday. The impact of the months-long flames has also spurred Singapore’s leader to threaten legal action against any corporations involved for the blazes, which have left regional air quality among the worst in the world.
Where necessary, we will take action under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, as well as explore joint action with other countries,” Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated, without providing any other information. The law enables authorities to target firms whose overseas activities produce or contribute to harmful haze levels in Singapore. Legal experts have warned that investigating corporations linked to the smoke is difficult, as investigations rely on assistance from foreign authorities.
Singapore has no plantations or forests, but some corporations with concessions in Indonesia are reportedly based there. On Wednesday, an official from Indonesia’s national police investigations department said it was investigating the companies responsible for the fires but did not name them. Wildfires are common in Indonesia during the dry season, but this year’s blazes have been particularly devastating due to a strong El Niño.
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