A thick haze of smoke has covered the city of Padang in West Sumatra today (September 13), prompting government measures to improve public safety.

Footage shows the skies over the Indonesian city darkened as smoke from neighbouring forest fires has affected air quality across the state.

People are also being distributed masks to help protect them from the air pollution.

Deputy governor of West Sumatra, Nasrul Abit stated: "Air levels in the city of Padang are already at an unhealthy status, and the provincial government of West Sumatra has issued a circular to the public to wear masks during activities to prevent contracting respiratory diseases."

this is the condition of the air in the city of Padang on September 13, 2019,

as seen from above the city air in Padang is covered with smoke haze triggered by forest fires that occurred in several areas in western Sumatra and neighboring provinces such as Riau, Jambi and South Sumatra.

because thick smoke also covers the sun's rays directly to the earth which makes the sun's rays orange.

deputy governor of west sumatra nasrul abit said "air levels in the city of Padang are already in an unhealthy status, and the provincial government of west sumatera has issued a circular to the public to wear masks during activities to prevent contracting respiratory diseases"

Meanwhile the head of the West Sumatra Province Disaster Management Agency Germany Herman said "in the province of West Sumatra there are 17 points of forest fires that are currently being extinguished, in addition to the smoke from the West Sumatra region, a part of the West Sumatra region receives a shipment of forest fire fumes from neighboring provinces such as Riau Province, jambi, and south sumatera "