Indonesia haze spikes Singapore pollution, shuts East Timor schools

Air pollution in part of Singapore hit the country's "very high" band on Wednesday, while East Timor shut schools, as haze from forest fires raging in Indonesia causes a regional crisis.

The blazes in Indonesia have burned through hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest and plantations, sickened local residents and sent thick haze across the region.

Air pollution in western Singapore on Wednesday hit "very high" -- the country's top level -- the National Environment Agency said.

It recorded levels of tiny particulates capable of penetrating the blood and lungs -- known as PM2.5 -- at 288 micrograms per cubic metre, vastly exceeding the World Health Organization's recommended average annual exposure of five micrograms.

Indonesia regularly battles wildfires during the dry season, but has seen stronger-than-usual blazes this year as a powerful El Nino cycle brings drought.

Experts also point to slash-and-burn land-clearing practices that have changed the naturally fire-resistant landscape of Sumatra and Borneo islands.

The haze has drifted into neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia, and as far afield as the Philippines and East Timor, which said it would shut schools nationwide for three days from Thursday.

The closures were necessary "as a preventive measure to protect the health of students, teachers, and other members of the educational community, given current air quality conditions", the government said.