Sumatra forest fire destroys 300 homes, 1,000 evacuated amid regional haze crisis

A forest fire on Sumatra has destroyed nearly 300 homes and forced 1,000 villagers to evacuate, according to a local official. This is part of a weeks-long pattern of fires across Borneo and Sumatra that have blanketed Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in toxic haze. The incident underscores the ongoing environmental and health crisis, with no immediate containment in sight.