20 Oct 2026

Large parts of Southeast Asia remain blanketed by haze from peatlands fires in Kalimantan, the hardest hit by Indonesia’s fires. For weeks, the haze has forced caused hazardous air quality upon Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and parts of the Philippines. On October 18, 2026, air quality across the region ranged from unhealthy to very unhealthy, according to local monitoring agencies. Singapore, in particular, recorded its longest stretch of unhealthy air since the severe 2015 haze crisis. In Indonesian authorities reported that, tens of thousands of people have sought treatment for haze-related fallen illness.

The peatland fires have sparked a months-long pollution crisis that has closed schools, curbed outdoor activities, and led to a spike in respiratory illnesses among both humans and animals across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and East Timor. Officials and climate experts say El Niño, have worsened the fires , which continue to burn and spew thick smoke across the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

Journalists visiting Central Kalimantan described smoke rising from the ground and a pungent smell of burnt earth hanging heavy in the air. Meanwhile, Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that four firefighters died and two others suffered severe burns while battling a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park on October 15, 2026.