Toxic haze from Indonesian wildfires has spread across Southeast Asia, with acutely unhealthy
pollution levels in parts of Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
The crisis, which has forced school closures and triggered health alerts, is compounded by record-breaking fire activity and prolonged dry seasons. Officials and environmental groups warn that the situation is worsening, with more than 96,000 fire hotspots detected across Indonesia by July 27.
El Niño Intensifies Drought, Fueling Unprecedented Fire Activity
The U.S.-based Climate Prediction Center gives an 81% chance that this year’s El Niño will reach very strongintensity between October and December, exacerbating drought conditions in Indonesia.
Indonesia’s forestry ministry data showed that 107,465 hectares of land were hit by fires from January to June, a 110% increase compared with the same period in 2023. The country’s disaster management agency, the BNPB, warned that August and September would see the peak of the fire season, with 48,889 hectares burned across six priority provinces as of August 9. Madani Berkelanjutan, an Indonesian NGO, cited higher figures, estimating 50,558 hectares burned in West Kalimantan alone.
Health Crises and School Closures Amid Escalating Haze
The haze has triggered a public health emergency, with over 50,000 respiratory infections reported in Indonesia, including 12,000 cases in children under five. In West Kalimantan, authorities in the provincial capital, Pontianak, have suspended schools indefinitely and shifted classes online.
Dr. Precious Bañas-Melad said they were now experiencing mild headaches.
In Malaysia, six schools in Sarawak were forced to switch to online classes after air quality indexes exceeded 200, deemed very unhealthy.
Residents described the smog’s severity.
Government Efforts and Environmental Concerns
Indonesia has deployed 43 helicopters and 15 fixed-wing aircraft to combat fires, alongside cloud-seeding operations to induce rainfall. However, officials acknowledge challenges.
Djamari Chaniago, chief security minister, said they were on alert because the weather conditions really made it possible for these fires to become larger.
Despite efforts, environmental groups say funding cuts and the intensifying El Niño are raising concerns about Indonesia’s preparedness.
The fires, primarily caused by deforestation to make way for palm oil plantations, mines and other land-clearing activities, threaten biodiversity. The fires are also threatening biodiversity, including orangutan habitat and rehabilitation efforts in West Kalimantan. A team of firefighters tries to extinguish a blaze on July 22, 2026, about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from YIARI’s orangutan rehabilitation center in Sungai Awan Kiri village, Ketapang district, West Kalimantan province.
Malaysia’s environmental department reported 11 areas in Sarawak with unhealthy air quality, while Singapore’s haze task force remains on standby. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) tracked smoke drifting from West Kalimantan into western Sarawak, highlighting the transboundary nature of the crisis.
Djamari said they closely monitored even small changes in the weather. Whenever something was likely to produce rain clouds, they immediately carried out cloud seeding operations.
Djamari said.
As the dry season progresses, the region braces for further escalation. With El Niño’s peak expected in late 2026, the challenge of containing wildfires and protecting public health grows more urgent. For now, residents in affected areas face a haze that shows no signs of abating.
