Smoke Affects Schools, Flights as Fires Rage

Thick plumes of black smoke blanketed parts of Indonesia, shutting down schools, delaying flights and forcing residents to wear masks, officials said.

Forest and brush fires--set by farmers, plantation owners and loggers wanting to clear land--have raged for the last week on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

Hospitals continued to report cases of respiratory problems. Indonesian officials have blamed farmers for most of the blazes. They have acknowledged, however, that the government lacks the manpower and money to prevent the fires, especially in remote areas.