Singapore Warns Citizens of Possible Haze from Indonesian Forest Fires

Singaporean authorities have warned residents that hazy conditions could occur if forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia worsen, as dry weather continues across the region.

In an advisory, as reported by Bernama and Channel News Asia on Wednesday (19/8/2026), the National Environment Agency (NEA) stated that hotspots accompanied by smoke plumes have been detected, particularly in southern and central Sumatra, as well as various parts of Kalimantan.

Amid the ongoing dry weather conditions, combined with wind patterns, the NEA advisory said haze from the fires is predicted to blanket Singapore.

“Dry conditions are expected to persist over the next few days. With winds blowing from the southeast or southwest, Singapore could potentially experience haze if the fires intensify,” the NEA said in the advisory released on Monday (17/8).

The NEA said it will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide daily haze information and advisories if the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reaches unhealthy levels.

The PSI reading rose over the weekend but remained within the moderate range.

Singapore experienced a largely dry August, with only a few days of brief rain, leaving total rainfall across the island well below average for the first half of the month.

These dry conditions were caused by the suppression of rain cloud formation due to a dry air mass blanketing Singapore and its surrounding areas.

In its advisory, the NEA also stated that the Southwest Monsoon is currently prevailing over Singapore and the surrounding region, with winds expected to blow from the southeast or southwest.

The NEA noted that localised, short-duration thundery showers are expected over parts of the country in the late morning and afternoon on some days.

The daily maximum temperature is expected to range between 33 and 34 degrees Celsius on most days, reaching 35 degrees Celsius on a few days.

Meanwhile, a Singapore-based research institute warned in June that Southeast Asia faces a high risk of severe transboundary haze for the remainder of 2026.

In its Haze Outlook 2026 report, the Singapore Institute of International Affairs stated that conditions are expected to peak between August and September, coinciding with a strong El Niño phenomenon bringing hotter and drier weather.