Haze returns to Malaysia as Indonesian wildfires spread

Transboundary haze caused by raging wildfires in Indonesia has led to unhealthy air quality levels across several regions in Malaysia. In Sarawak, the number of areas reporting unhealthy air quality increased to eight, including Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Bintulu, Samalaju, Miri, Sarikei, and Sri Aman.

The ASEAN Haze Monitoring Centre detected widespread hotspots in West Kalimantan and parts of Sumatra, with smoke plumes drifting north into Sarawak. One significant wildfire scorched 550 hectares in Indonesia's Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.

In Peninsular Malaysia, unhealthy air levels were also recorded in Johan Setia, Selangor. The meteorological department has forecast hot, dry weather for much of Borneo through mid-August, which may exacerbate visibility issues and haze levels.