The Haze invades Asia once more on History

MANILA, Philippines - Haze Hell Over Asia, a special production by History Channel, recounts one of the biggest forest fires and worst natural disasters that enveloped Asia tomorrow night at 8:30.

In September of 1997, forest fires raged uncontrollably across an area the size of four million football pitches in Indonesia. Known as The Haze, its noxious yellow smoke cloud invaded not only the Indonesian archipelago, but smothered a vast region of Southeast Asia as well, even reaching as far as northern Australia.

Millions were forced to wear masks and hospitals were overwhelmed with the staggering number of patients. In Indonesia, hundreds died as both a direct and indirect result of the severe decline in air quality. All over Malaysia, the Air Pollution Index rose to alarmingly hazardous levels and the catastrophe’s continued escalation forced the declaration of a State of Emergency.

Chronicling the disastrous event, Haze Hell Over Asia tells the stories of the individuals who braved the deadly Haze to serve their countrymen and neighbors and save countless lives. Through the Malem Babu, or the Malaysian-Indonesia Firefighters Haze Operation, civilians, men on duty and professional experts each took on roles to beat the calamity and lower the death count.

For over 25 long, torturous days, firemen fought a desperate battle with the fires raging across Sumatra and Kalimantan. Operation Haze became the biggest cross border firefighting mission in history.

The 1997 haze was indeed a turning point — a pivotal moment that forced both politicians and scientists to join forces to defeat the menace of Asia’s killer haze and finally take environmental issues seriously.