Southeast Asia is enduring one of its worst transboundary haze episodes in years, driven by fires in Indonesia that officials say are the most severe in more than a decade. Peatland and forest blazes across six provinces on Borneo and Sumatra have burned at least 200,000 hectares, according to reporting by Al Jazeera, and the smoke has drifted over Malaysia, Singapore and beyond. Indonesia’s Health Ministry has recorded more than 170,000 respiratory infections, a figure that is probably an undercount because it only covers people who sought care.
Weather is a major factor. Indonesian officials warned in August that El Niño conditions would raise the risk of fires in the dry season, and by September smoke had begun to blanket the region. Dry peatlands burn easily and are hard to extinguish, producing thick smoke that can persist for weeks. Scientists have warned that a powerful El Niño could contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths globally from heat, disease and disasters.
The impact has crossed borders. Malaysia closed schools in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and several states on October 9 when the Air Pollutant Index reached the unhealthy range, and on October 9 Singapore ranked worst in the world for air quality, with Kuala Lumpur second, raising concerns for its Formula One weekend. Haze also triggered class suspensions and air-quality warnings in parts of the Philippines. Indonesia has deployed about 60,000 personnel to fight the fires, and Malaysia has been seeding clouds to induce rain.
Regional diplomacy has stepped up. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim discussed the crisis with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and called for an urgent ASEAN meeting. Environmental groups say that enforcement against illegal burning and peatland drainage remains the key long-term fix.
What to watch: rainfall forecasts as the monsoon transition approaches, daily Air Pollutant Index readings from official portals, school closure announcements, and any ASEAN ministerial statement on cooperation.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters, AFP, The Vibes, Bernama (October 2026). Compiled October 27, 2026.
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