Smog closes schools across Malaysia

Schools in several parts of Malaysia, including the capital Kuala Lumpur, have been ordered to close because of high levels of air pollution.

That's because smoke from wildfires burning in neighbouring Indonesia has spread across the region, creating a thick layer of smog.

The pollution has reached unhealthy levels in many areas of Malaysia, with officials keeping a close eye on the situation.

The fires have been burning for the past few weeks, and have also affected other nearby countries, including Singapore and the Philippines.

On Friday, schools in several Malaysian states were told to close after air pollution levels rose due to smoke drifting across the border from Indonesia.

For the past few weeks Indonesia has struggled to contain forest and land fires, leading to thick smoke - also known as 'the haze' - spreading into neighbouring countries including Malaysia and Singapore.

Malaysia's air quality readings showed that 37 areas had reached unhealthy levels on Friday morning.

In a statement, Malaysia's Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek urged officials to keep an eye on the situation.

She explained: "I have asked all state education departments and district education offices to continue to monitor the ​haze situation and take immediate action if the situation ​requires it."

Malaysia has also called for a meeting between ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work together to tackle the problem.

Indonesia is currently experiencing one of its worst fire seasons in more than a decade.

Experts there say illegal cutting and burning practices, used by farmers and companies as a cheap way to clear vegetation, are a main cause of the fires.

Metoerologists say a powerful weather pattern known as a super El Niño has made drought conditions worse this year, increasing the risk of fires spreading.