SINGAPORE – The Republic is experiencing its worst bout of transboundary haze in more than a decade.
Singapore should brace itself for hazy conditions to persist in the near future, with the possibility of air quality reaching hazardous levels where the Pollutant Standards Index readings exceed 300, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Oct 16.
The Straits Times clears the air on how the haze situation escalated and how Singapore and the region are responding.
What is causing the haze?
The root cause of the haze blanketing Singapore and Malaysia is the fires raging on forest and plantation land in Indonesia.
Most blazes are sparked by slash-and-burn agriculture practices, where farmers use fire to clear land. This is illegal, but still carried out as it is much cheaper than using excavators.
While this happens regularly, the situation has worsened owing to the confluence of three factors.
1. Traditional dry season in ASEAN
The equatorial ASEAN region is in its annual dry season, which usually lasts from June to September.
The 2026 dry season has been prolonged by the ongoing El Nino phenomenon, causing a “double whammy” of hot weather drivers.
Winds blow from the south, where Indonesia is, bringing smoke haze to Singapore and Malaysia.
2. Godzilla El Nino
The 2026 El Nino could be among the strongest since at least 1950.
El Nino brings hotter and drier conditions to Singapore and South-east Asia.
The last Godzilla El Nino was in 2015, which saw the region’s most severe haze crisis.
3. Large-scale drainage of peatlands
Unlike ordinary forest soil, peat is naturally waterlogged, accumulating partially decayed plants, roots and branches over thousands of years.
Although peatlands cover just 3% of the earth’s land surface, they store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined.
Indonesia is home to the world’s largest tropical peatlands, mostly across Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua.
But as cash crops such as oil palm and pulpwood do not grow well in waterlogged soil, peatlands are often drained to be converted into plantations.
When this happens, peatlands release carbon locked in them back into the atmosphere.
Parched peat can be a vast tinderbox, with the exposed organic content serving as fodder for fire.
When dry peat catches fire, the flames can smoulder underground – up to several metres deep – for months. This is why the smoke usually does not let up until the rainy monsoon season reaches Indonesia around November and December.
As at Oct 14, the Indonesian police have named more than 200 people and nine companies as suspects in forest and land fire cases across the country. More than 50 business entities have also been sealed off for fire-related violations.
What are the effects of severe haze?
Worsening health
GPs have seen have seen 20% to 30% more patients with haze-related symptoms.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The haze has impacted health across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Singapore’s Ministry of Health has reported a small spike in visits to clinics and emergency rooms due to haze-related health issues, such as runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, conjunctivitis, asthma and respiratory issues.
General practitioners have seen 20% to 30% more patients with such symptoms, and the spike in haze-related cases is overlapping with the Influenza A season.
Singapore has activated its Haze Subsidy Scheme, under which all Singapore citizens will pay no more than $10 when they seek treatment at polyclinics for haze-related ailments. Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation seniors will have their out-of-pocket costs capped at $5.
Grounded flights
Travellers waiting at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Malaysia, on Oct 13. Worsening haze and low visibility have forced airlines to delay and divert flights across the region, including Firefly which cancelled several flights to and from Subang in Malaysia and Seletar Airport in Singapore.
PHOTO: AFP
Worsening haze and low visibility have forced airlines to delay and divert flights across the region.
Among those, Firefly cancelled several flights to and from Subang in Malaysia and Seletar Airport in Singapore.
In Indonesia, thick smog has made helicopter fire fighting operations challenging.
Contingency measures
Free N95 face masks being distributed to vulnerable groups, including the elderly, at Kallang Community Club on Oct 15.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Singapore is distributing N95 masks to vulnerable Singaporeans and making air-conditioned shelters available at community clubs and selected Residents’ Network and Residents’ Committee centres.
In Indonesia, 5.3 million masks have been distributed to communities affected by the fires. Around 300 pieces of oxygen equipment were dispatched to hardest-hit areas in September.
Daily lives disrupted
Hazy conditions in Johor Bahru on Oct 8.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Schools in Johor Bahru were closed for some days in October.
Some schools in Singapore have cut back on outdoor activities and cancelled co-curricular activities, with students eating indoors during recess.
All outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG Sport Centres were temporarily closed on Oct 16.
Calls for justice
Protests have spread across parts of Indonesia as frustration grows over the government’s handling of the fires, with demands for stronger fire fighting efforts, tougher action against companies and greater protection for affected communities.
Some West Kalimantan residents are suing the Indonesian authorities for “gross negligence” that has resulted in a massive public health crisis.
Singapore has issued legal notices to seven companies requesting that they stop the burning on their land in Indonesia and submit plans to extinguish the fires.