ASEAN Beat | Environment | Southeast Asia

As Indonesian Fires Continue, Singapore Records Highest Air Pollution Reading Since 2015

Jakarta is the focus of increasing criticism for its failure to contain – or prevent – the fires that continue to rage in Borneo and Sumatra.

Air pollution hangs over Pasir Panjang in Singapore, Oct. 9, 2026.

Air pollution readings in some parts of Singapore yesterday spiked to their highest levels in more than a decade, as Indonesia came under increased pressure for its failure to contain the wildfires that have caused a dramatic decline in air quality across the region.

Hourly PM2.5 readings rose across all regions of Singapore yesterday afternoon, with the reading in the west of the island climbing to 288 micrograms per cubic meter. The reading, which is in the National Environmental Agency (NEA)’s “very high” range, was the highest recorded since 2015, Channel News Asia reported.

PM2.5 readings were in the “high” range in the south, east, and central regions of the country, while the reading in the north was in the “elevated” range.

With readings entering the “very high” range, the government also began the phased distribution of N95 masks to vulnerable segments of the population, and temporarily closed all outdoor and non-air-conditioned sports facilities in western Singapore.

Indonesia is currently battling the most intense wildfire season in 11 years, which has been exacerbated by an unusually severe dry season linked to a global El Niño weather pattern. The fires, which are concentrated mostly on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, have created a haze that has affected much of maritime Southeast Asia, forcing school closures and impacting the health of tens of millions of people.

The government of Timor-Leste, which borders Indonesia, said in a statement yesterday that it was suspending face-to-face learning activities for three days starting from ​October 15 “due to contamination by pollutant particles from wildfires in neighboring regions or countries.” This comes after the Malaysian government last week ordered the closure of schools across peninsular Malaysia, including in the capital Kuala Lumpur, due to the worsening haze.

In Indonesia, authorities said more than 280,000 respiratory problems have been recorded in affected regions since August 18. In the province of Central Kalimantan, the country’s ISPU air pollution index yesterday exceeded 1,200, four times higher than the “hazardous” level of 300.

While some fires naturally occur during the annual dry season, many are caused by agricultural burn-off on monoculture plantations, such as palm oil, maize, paper pulp, and sugar, that are controlled........

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