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Millions prayed for rain across Malaysia as more cities were choked by the noxious yellow haze blown north from raging forest fires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.: "By Justin Huggler, Asia Correspondent
Published: 13 August 2005



Indonesian forestry officials were trying to put out the fires with buckets of water yesterday, even as Jakarta refused offers of help from neighbouring countries, claiming it could deal with the crisis itself.

The onset of the acrid clouds drifting across Kuala Lumpur has been made more galling to Malaysians by the fact that many of the fires have been set deliberately by plantation owners, farmers and miners on Sumatra to clear the land of unwanted trees - a practice criticised by environmentalists.

There was a brief respite for Kuala Lumpur and central Malaysia yesterday as the wind changed, carrying the choking smoke away. But meteorologists warned that the respite was unlikely to last.

Many people were still wearing face masks in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, and asthma attacks are soaring. Air pollution remained severe enough to be considered a health risk in six areas of the city, and many schools remained closed.