[REVISION HISTORY]

Southeast Asian transboundary haze crisis intensifies

Updated 72 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-18 00:46 UTC → 2026-09-21 03:44 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The transboundary haze crisis in Southeast Asia has intensified as the 2026 El Niño phenomenon transitioned to a “very strong” category, driving severe drought. In Indonesia, forest and land fires have escalated significantly; while government reports indicate 202,004 hectares burned between January and July 2026, independent analysis by Nusantara Atlas suggests the affected area exceeded 285,000 hectares by late July, surpassing the 2019 and 2023 cycles. Recent data indicates nearly 300,000 hectares have burned since the start of the year. ~~Between August 28 and September 3, these fires released over 23 million tons of carbon emissions, a figure that surpasses levels recorded during the 2015 El Niño year.~~ Widespread fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan have exposed approximately three million people across 37 regencies and cities to hazardous haze. In Riau, ~~the Provincial Health Office reported 10,783 cases of Acute Respiratory Infection (ISPA) between August and early September 2026. In Pekanbaru,~~ air quality in Pekanbaru has reached “very unhealthy” levels, with PM2.5 concentrations peaking at 226 µg/m³, prompting the Riau Provincial Government to implement distance learning for high school and vocational students. In Batam, air quality is categorized as “moderate” with PM2.5 levels at 46.6 µg/m³, though visibility at Hang Nadim International Airport has dropped to approximately 4,000 meters. The haze has spread regionally. In Malaysia, ~~41 locations in the peninsula have recorded~~ air quality has worsened significantly, with an increasing number of monitoring sites reporting unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) ~~readings, with Johan Setia in Selangor reporting the highest at 187. Singapore~~ levels. Sarawak has ~~also entered the unhealthy range,~~ been heavily impacted, with ~~the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reaching~~ Kanowit, Kuching, and Samarahan recording high readings. Unhealthy levels have also been noted in Peninsular Malaysia, including areas in Johor, Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur, as ~~high~~ well as ~~120.~~ in Sabah. In southern Thailand, thick smoke from Indonesian hotspots has caused PM2.5 concentrations in Hat Yai to spike into the “red warning zone,” with levels reported between 72.7 µg/m³ and 89.0 µg/m³.

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