Forest Fire Haze Crosses Borders

Haze from forest and land fires (karhutla) in Indonesia has spread to threaten air quality in neighboring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore. Smoke from fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra blanketed both countries in October 2026, pushing air quality into the unhealthy category.

In Singapore, the Meteorological Service recorded a PSI of 134–192 on Friday (9/10/2026) at 5 p.m. local time — in the unhealthy category. Hourly PM2.5 measurements reached 91–134 micrograms per cubic meter. On Tuesday (13/10), the 24-hour PSI reached 172 in the west, 169 in the central, 154 in the east, 134 in the south, and 127 in the north of Singapore.

IQAir data on Wednesday (14/10/2026) recorded US AQI of 193 in Singapore and 177 in Kuala Lumpur, with PM2.5 particles dominating the air in both areas. Outdoor activities require extra caution under these conditions.

Malaysian Schools Closed, Home Learning Ordered

In Malaysia, the Department of Environment recorded 38 locations with unhealthy air quality on 8 October 2026. Segamat recorded an API of 190, while Kluang recorded 181. Malaysia's Education Ministry closed schools and educational institutions in Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Melaka, Johor, Pahang, and Kuala Lumpur from Friday 9 October 2026 after several areas recorded unhealthy air quality.

Affected educational institutions were switched to home-based teaching and learning (PdPR). According to Free Malaysia Today, some schools began reopening on Tuesday 13 October 2026. However, schools in Johor and four districts in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor remained closed due to haze exposure — covering Bangsar and Pudu in Kuala Lumpur, and Hulu Langat, Gombak, and Petaling Perdana in Selangor.

Source of Smoke: Hundreds of Hotspots in Kalimantan-Sumatra

The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) recorded 327 hotspots in Kalimantan and 191 in Sumatra on 29 September 2026. Malaysia's Department of Environment deputy director-general Azuri Azizah Saedon presented regional monitoring findings showing transboundary haze across Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and northwestern Borneo.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Forestry Ministry recorded 793 high-confidence hotspots across Indonesia through 10 October at 9 p.m. Western Indonesia Time — Central Kalimantan with 288, West Kalimantan with 44, and South Kalimantan with 28. On 11 October, Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) reported smoke from southern Sumatra and West Kalimantan drifting toward Singapore, with the movement expected to continue as winds blow from the southeast or south.

Flights Disrupted, Health Subsidies Prepared

The haze also disrupted flight activity in Malaysia and Singapore. Several airlines cancelled flights through Wednesday (14/10/2026) due to reduced visibility. One cancelled route was the flight from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport to Seletar Airport in Singapore, suspended since Saturday (10/10/2026); affected passengers were rebooked via Kuala Lumpur–Changi.

The Singapore government reinstated subsidies for medical treatment of haze-related illnesses. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced the policy on 12 October 2026 — a similar program was run in 2015 during Indonesian forest fires. In Indonesia itself, thick smoke and low visibility also hampered the deployment of water-bombing helicopters in Central Kalimantan.