started · updated
Sarawak air quality remains unhealthy following lifting of Serian haze emergency
Transboundary haze caused by forest and peatland fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan region has severely impacted air quality across Southeast Asia, most notably in Sarawak, Malaysia. The pollution triggered a haze emergency in the Serian Division after Air Pollutant Index (API) readings exceeded the 500 threshold. While King Sultan Ibrahim has since consented to lift the emergency declaration as readings in Serian dropped to approximately 222, air quality remains volatile.
As of 8 September 2026, several areas in Sarawak continue to report very unhealthy or unhealthy air quality. Locations such as Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman have recorded very unhealthy API levels, while other districts like Sarikei, Mukah, and Bintulu remain in the unhealthy category. The situation has led to school closures in parts of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, where hundreds of thousands of students have transitioned to remote learning to avoid respiratory risks.
The haze has also spread to other nations; the Philippines has reported unhealthy air quality in Metro Cebu, and smoke has been noted in Singapore. Experts attribute the persistence of the fires to prolonged dry conditions and El Niño effects, which exacerbate the vulnerability of peatlands to underground burning.
Entities
Abang Johari Openg · Air Pollutant Index Management System · Anwar Ibrahim · Kalimantan · Samarahan · Sarawak · Serian · Sultan Ibrahim
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Lundu recorded an API of 269, while Samarahan reached 236 and Serian reached 233 on September 7. sarawakdaily.com
- [● 6 SOURCES] King Sultan Ibrahim consented to end the haze emergency declaration in the Serian Division of Sarawak. srnnews.com · www.tvsarawak.my
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Air Pollutant Index (API) in Serian reached a hazardous level of 519 on Friday before dropping to 222 on Monday. srnnews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Smoke from forest fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan region is causing transboundary haze in Sarawak. wakeup.sg · www.enca.com · eveningreport.nz · www.world-today-news.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Air quality in Sarawak remains very unhealthy in several areas, including Samarahan and Serian. srnnews.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The API in Serian reached 302 on the morning of 8 September 2026. www.tvsarawak.my · www.freemalaysiatoday.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Lundu recorded an API of 269 on 7 September 2026. sarawakdaily.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Air Quality Index in Talisay City, Philippines, reached 172 on 1 September 2026. vismin.ph
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Samarahan and Serian recorded API levels of 236 and 233 respectively on 7 September 2026. sarawakdaily.com