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11 clusters · 92 sources · 61 days · First seen · Last updated

Global urban air quality and Kalimantan forest fires

Overview

The regional haze crisis has intensified as widespread forest and peatland fires in Indonesia, fueled by severe drought and El Niño, continue to impact air quality across Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, an emergency was declared in Serian, Sarawak, after the Air Pollutant Index reached a hazardous 521. Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index has entered the unhealthy category, and the Philippines has seen class suspensions in Metro Manila and northern provinces.

Aviation disruptions have escalated significantly due to thick haze. Between September 14 and 20, 2026, the Ministry of Transportation reported that 409 flights were affected within the Balikpapan Airport Authority Region VII, including 141 delays, 254 cancellations or postponements, and 14 diversions. Central Kalimantan saw the highest impact with 201 affected flights, while East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan recorded 138 and 70 affected flights, respectively. Visibility at airports such as Tjilik Riwut, Iskandar, and Haji Muhammad Sidik has dropped as low as 50 meters. At Tjilik Riwut Airport, PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia estimates losses exceeding Rp1 billion due to the suspension of take-offs and landings over the past month.

Recent data from September 21–27, 2026, indicates a slight recovery, with the number of affected flights decreasing by approximately 25.7 percent compared to the previous week. During this period, 304 flights were impacted, comprising 63 delays, 240 cancellations or postponements, and one diversion. While air traffic stability improved in East and North Kalimantan, disruptions increased in Central Kalimantan, which accounted for roughly 74 percent of total regional disruptions with 225 affected flights. Low visibility remains a safety concern, dropping to 100 meters at Haji Muhammad Sidik Airport in Barito.

Entities

Kalimantan · BMKG · AirNav Indonesia · Jakarta · Pramono Anung

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

  • "Kalimantan Tengah recorded the highest number of hotspots with 767." www.suarainvestor.com · uzone.id

    vs

    "Central Kalimantan recorded the highest number of hotspots with 976." www.nu.or.id

    BNPB cannot have recorded both 767 and 976 hotspots in Central Kalimantan.

  • "Kalimantan Tengah recorded the highest number of hotspots with 767." www.suarainvestor.com · uzone.id

    vs

    "The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) recorded 182 hotspots, with 72 in Central Kalimantan." www.tvsarawak.my · dayakdaily.com

    BNPB cannot have recorded both 767 hotspots in Central Kalimantan and 72 hotspots in Central Kalimantan.

  • "There are currently 182 active fires across six Indonesian provinces, with 145 located in Kalimantan." wydarzenia.interia.pl

    vs

    "BNPB detected 1,487 hotspots across Kalimantan." uzone.id · era.id · www.nu.or.id

    BNPB cannot have recorded both 182 total hotspots and 1,487 hotspots across Kalimantan.

  • "The Air Pollutant Index in Serian reached 521 on Friday." www.durangoherald.com · mymotherlode.com · www.euronews.com · worldofbuzz.com · triblive.com

    vs

    "Serian, Sarawak, recorded an extremely high Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 517 on September 4, 2026." worldofbuzz.com · dayakdaily.com

    The Air Pollutant Index in Serian cannot be both 521 and 517.

  • "647 schools in Sarawak will close from September 7 to September 11." worldofbuzz.com · www.durangoherald.com

    vs

    "591 schools in Sarawak were closed due to poor air quality caused by Kalimantan wildfires." rmol.id · en.tempo.co

    The number of schools in Sarawak reported to be closed differs (591 vs 647).

Timeline

  1. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Kalimantan flight disruptions decrease amid forest fire haze

    Flight disruptions in Kalimantan due to forest fire haze are decreasing in East and North Kalimantan, though Central Kalimantan has seen an increase in affected flights.

  2. [BUSINESS] 8 sources
    Kalimantan forest fires disrupt hundreds of flights and cause airport losses

    Forest fires in Kalimantan have disrupted 409 flights due to thick haze, causing significant financial losses at Tjilik Riwut Airport and reducing visibility to as low as 50 meters.

  3. [INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
    Central Kalimantan forest fires reach 180 hectares

    BNPB reports that 150 of 180 hectares of forest fires in Central Kalimantan have been extinguished, though peatland re-ignition and haze risks persist as weather modification efforts continue.

  4. [INTERNATIONAL] 5 sources
    Kalimantan forest fires disrupt flights and threaten wildlife

    Forest fires in Kalimantan have caused massive flight disruptions at Supadio and Singkawang airports due to low visibility and have led to respiratory illnesses and deaths among local orangutan populations.

  5. [INTERNATIONAL] 6 sources
    Central Kalimantan maintains strict wildfire monitoring as hotspots decline

    Central Kalimantan authorities are maintaining strict wildfire monitoring as hotspot counts dropped to 950 on September 8, down from over 5,700 earlier in the week.

  6. [INTERNATIONAL] 64 sources
    Southeast Asia haze crisis intensifies as Indonesian peatland fires spread

    Severe peatland fires in Indonesia have caused a regional haze crisis, prompting an emergency in Malaysia and class suspensions in the Philippines. ASEAN remains at Alert Level 3.

  7. [HEALTH] 4 sources
    Respiratory infections rise in Kalimantan amid forest fires

    Respiratory infection cases are rising in Kalimantan due to forest fires, with over 72,000 cases reported in Central Kalimantan. High-risk groups include children, the elderly, and pregnant women.

  8. [INTERNATIONAL] 6 sources
    Kalimantan forest fires cause haze and flight disruptions

    Forest and land fires in Kalimantan have caused haze disruptions, affecting 10 flights at Syamsudin Noor International Airport and creating 473 hotspots across South Kalimantan.

  9. [INTERNATIONAL] 39 sources
    Kalimantan wildfires trigger haze crisis and school closures

    Intense wildfires and thick haze in Kalimantan have triggered 1,842 hotspots, forcing 3,524 schools into distance learning and disrupting regional flights and air quality across Indonesia and Malaysia.

  10. [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Kampala tops list of world's most polluted cities

    Kampala, Uganda, recorded the world's worst air quality with an AQI of 185, followed by Kinshasa and Jakarta. Dhaka ranked 15th with moderate air quality.

  11. [HEALTH] 5 sources
    Jakarta's Air Quality Ranked Fourth Worst Worldwide on Friday Morning

    Jakarta's AQI hit 147, ranking it fourth worst globally; authorities plan bus route expansions, free rides, 10,000 electric buses by 2030, and new waste‑treatment plants to cut emissions.

Sources

acvila30.ro · anninhthudo.vn · antaranews.com · baolaocai.vn · beautynury.com · bengkulu.tribunnews.com · berita.rtm.gov.my · beritajatim.com · bhaskarhindi.com · bisnis.liputan6.com · bukkzserc.hu · cenderawasihpos.jawapos.com · circleid.com · clovermedia.jp · cnbcindonesia.com · dailysintang.com · dayakdaily.com · disway.id · dnaberita.com · dream.co.id · dukagjini.com · dunia-energi.com · durangoherald.com · dutatv.com · ekbis.harianjogja.com · ekbis.sindonews.com · en.antaranews.com · en.tempo.co · era.id · euronews.net · faktadaerah.id · freemalaysiatoday.com · gavroche-thailande.com · gerindra.id · halosemarang.id · harianjogja.com · independent.co.uk · inews.id · information.tv5monde.com · inponews.com · ipreunion.com · jatim.jpnn.com · jawapos.com · jogja.jpnn.com · jpnn.com · jurnas.com · kabartarakan.com · kaltaraone.com

This summary has been updated 29 times: see revision history