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Global urban air quality and Kalimantan forest fires

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-20 02:01 UTC → 2026-08-21 01:36 UTC · added removed

Global urban air quality monitoring and Kalimantan forest fires

Global air quality monitoring reports indicate severe pollution levels across several major cities. In late July, Jakarta, Indonesia, was ranked as the fourth most polluted city in the world with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 147, categorized as unhealthy for sensitive groups. In response, the Jakarta provincial government initiated strategies including the expansion of bus routes, free public transport for specific community groups, and a goal to operate 10,000 electric buses by 2030. 147. By early August, rankings shifted, with mid-August, Kampala, Uganda, and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, recording recorded higher AQI scores of 185 and 188, respectively. Other cities with high pollution levels included Kuching, Malaysia, and Manama, Bahrain. Dhaka, Bangladesh, was noted with a moderate AQI of 95. By mid-August, Kampala, Uganda, recorded the highest levels of air pollution among analyzed cities with an AQI of 185, while Kinshasa (188), Jakarta (149), Kuching (161), and Manama (156) also maintained high levels. The World Health Organization links air pollution to approximately 7 million deaths annually worldwide. By August 20, Jakarta's AQI rose to 162, ranking it as the third worst city globally. Kinshasa recorded the highest AQI at 208, followed by Kuching at 199. To combat these 199, while Jakarta's AQI rose to 162. On August 19, 2026, severe forest and land fires in Kalimantan triggered widespread haze, significantly impacting air quality and visibility across Indonesia and Malaysia. In South Kalimantan, visibility dropped as low as 10 meters in some areas. The Indonesian Minister of Transportation reported flight cancellations in West Kalimantan due to unsafe visibility levels, the Jakarta Provincial Government is expanding Transjabodetabek bus services and optimizing the Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) waste processing facility local Education Office in Rorotan, North Jakarta. Governor Pramono Anung has also encouraged public transit use, noting that free services remain available Banjarbaru delayed school start times to 15 specific demographic groups. protect students from smog. Air quality monitoring shows extremely unhealthy PM2.5 concentrations in Sintang and Kubu Raya. The haze has become a transboundary issue, as the Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board reported smoke from West Kalimantan moving north into Malaysia, causing unhealthy air quality in Sarawak districts including Serian and Kuching. While small fires occur within Banjarmasin, authorities noted the primary source of the thickest haze is being transported from neighboring regions.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-21 01:36 UTC Global urban air quality and Kalimantan forest fires
  2. 2026-08-20 02:01 UTC Global urban air quality monitoring
  3. 2026-08-09 12:47 UTC Global urban air quality monitoring

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