Jakarta, Sept. 3 -- Indonesia's disaster agency has urged residents in Kalimantan and Sumatra to regularly monitor the Air Pollution Standard Index to protect themselves from thick smoke caused by forest and land fires.

Berton SP Panjaitan, acting head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency's (BNPB) Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, said monitoring air quality is crucial as forecasts show smoke pollution spreading more widely.

"People can check air quality in their district or where they live. This information can help protect us from pollutants caused by surrounding smoke," he said on Thursday.

Berton said thick smoke pollution is currently concentrated across West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalim...