We have been away for 3 weeks and in that time there has been no rain - despite the fact this is still the rainy season. The ground and vegetation are very dry and there are fires everywhere. The golf course yesterday was surrounded by huge billowing clouds of smoke. Early this morning I looked out to "fog" - the garden is dense with smoke. As the sun gets up it seems to be dispersing a bit but it is still thick around us. The smell of smoke is everywhere. All this despite a govenment ban on burning and a 5000 ringgit penalty.
