Skies have turned to what many describe as post-apocalyptic blood red in an Indonesian province because of a widespread forest fire which continues to burn.

Key points: Many of the current fires were deliberately lit as a cheap method to clear land

Many of the current fires were deliberately lit as a cheap method to clear land There have been more than 73,000 fire alerts across Indonesia since early September

There have been more than 73,000 fire alerts across Indonesia since early September Meteorologists say the phenomenon of the red sky is called Rayleigh scattering

Jamaludin, who goes by one name, from the village of Jebus, said his home has been surrounded by smog for the past three months.

But conditions worsened over the weekend when they sky turned red, a sign of unusually high pollutant contents in the air.

"The thick smoke haze has been extraordinary this past week. At six or seven in the morning it was already dark," Jamaludin told the ABC.

"The haze has caused smoke particles and dust to rain down to the ground and you can only see between 40 to 50 metres in front of you."

Haze caused by land clearing fires this year is among the worst the country has seen, with a state of emergency declared across at least six Indonesian provinces.

There have been more than 73,000 fire alerts across the country since the beginning of September alone, causing flight cancellations and closures of schools.

Jamaludin said it was the first time he had seen the sky become such a dramatic colour, and residents are worried it will continue to worsen.

Their village is only 5 kilometres from a burning peatland.

'We don't even have masks'

Residents in Jambi have taken to social media to voice their concerns. ( Facebook: Qha Caslley )

ABC meteorologist Nate Byrne said the eerie red light was caused by the same phenomenon that makes sunrises and sunsets red, called Rayleigh scattering.

"Light from the sun gets scattered when it hits molecules or small particles in the atmosphere," he said.

When the blue light gets scattered away, it leaves a greater proportion of reds, yellows and oranges, Byrne added.

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"Because smoke is made up of tiny particles, much more scattering occurs than would happen in clear air, so the red light becomes more intense," he said.

Residents in the Indonesian province of Jambi have taken to social media to post photos and videos of the scarlet skies while pleading for assistance.

"This is the afternoon, not evening. This is Earth not planet Mars. This is Jambi not outer space," one person wrote on Twitter.

"We are breathing with our lungs … We are humans who need clean air, not smoke."

Many were also calling on Indonesian President Joko Widodo to intervene.

"We haven't receive any help. I don't know about other villages, but we don't even have masks," Jamaludin said.

"People leave the house with whatever nose covering they have, some use a small towel or a cloth … whatever they have available."

Some residents say they have not been issued with facemasks. ( istimewa )

Many of the current fires in Indonesia were deliberately lit as a cheap method to clear land for agricultural use.

Toxic smog has also blanketed neighbouring countries of Singapore and Malaysia, with the Malaysian Government openly criticising Indonesia for failing to prevent the fires.

Agus Wibowo from Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency told local reporters on Monday that weather modification has been used to create artificial rain in an attempt to reduce spot fires.

"Almost all of Riau received rain," he said, referring to the Indonesian province which sits closest to Singapore and Malaysia.