A thick haze hovering over the usually pristine city-state of Singapore is making it dangerous to go outside.

For the past 48 hours, smoke-filled skies have prompted the government to issue warnings that children, the elderly and people with lung problems should not go outdoors.

Everyone else is advised to limit their outdoor activity.

And here's what's causing it... forest fires from the neighbouring Indonesia island of Sumatra.

Although illegal, burning forests and farms is a cheap and quick way to make room for commercial plantations to grow products like palm oil.

Environmental groups say Indonesia has a history of weak forestry law enforcement and does little to curb the slash-and-burn problem.

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