Pontianak's fog or smoke?

Pontianak's fog or smoke?

It is unfortunate that the "Literacy Day Commemoration"
(Jakarta Post Sept. 22, 1994) was canceled due to "fog" at the
airport in Pontianak. The attendees missed an opportunity to see
a weather phenomena unknown to the rest of the world.

Fog is a common condition resulting from the ambient
temperature decreasing until the moisture in the air condenses
into tiny droplets. It is in fact, a cloud of visible water vapor
in contact with the surface of the earth. In nature, this
condensation does not occur at sea level at temperatures above 20
degrees Celsius. It will be a "cold day in hell" as they saying
goes, when Pontianak sees 20 degrees Centigrade.

It is more likely that their visibility was obscured by dense
smoke arising from the annual fires devastating the jungle
nearby. These huge forest fires, that would be front page news
elsewhere in the world, go largely unreported and with no attempt
to contain them.

In any given year, far more timber is destroyed in these fires
than all the lumber produced in the country. The terrible waste
is so saddening.

But just to "clear the smoke" from the story: Smoke is not
Fog! Be a little more literal with the Queen's English, if you
please.

Name and address withheld