Indonesian Forest Fire Smoke Envelops Singapore, Residents on Alert

Haze from forest and land fires has enveloped Singapore, pushing the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) to 105, which falls into the unhealthy category, for the first time since October 2023. Air quality in Singapore on Friday morning (4/9/2026) deteriorated into the unhealthy category due to transboundary haze originating from neighbouring countries.

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) recorded a PSI of 105 at 10:00 local time. This figure falls within the unhealthy range of 101-200.

A similar condition was last observed in Singapore in October 2023, when transboundary haze blanketed the city-state.

According to The Straits Times, the Singapore Meteorological Service predicts that hazy conditions may persist for the next two weeks. Dry weather is expected to last until the first half of September, although rainfall may potentially increase during the second week.

The NEA has advised the public to reduce outdoor activities, particularly when air quality worsens. Authorities also noted an increase in the number of hotspots and haze in the regions surrounding Singapore.

Thick haze has been reported almost daily across southern and central Sumatra, as well as parts of Kalimantan, since 21 August. These conditions are occurring amidst forest and land fires in Indonesia, triggered by dry weather conditions caused by the Super El Niño phenomenon.

The severity of the haze reaching Singapore depends heavily on wind direction. In addition to Singapore, Malaysia is also being affected by haze from the fires in Indonesia. Air quality in several regions of Malaysia has even reached hazardous levels, accompanied by a surge in asthma cases.