Thick smoke and haze from forest and land fires envelop Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan
Thick smoke and haze from forest and land fires envelop Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan - AFP via Getty Images/AFAN ANUGERAH

For two months now, Natanael Undas has opened his curtains not to blue skies, but a sickening sepia haze that blocks out any sunlight. As the relentless fires smoulder nearby, his city looks "more like Mars" than Indonesian Borneo.

"We start our day in yellow, and we end our day in yellow," the 32-year-old headteacher told the Telegraph. "When you inhale and take a breath, it feels like you're choking. Your eyes hurt, your nose hurts… when you go outside, it feels like someone is burning dry leaves next to you."