Indonesia’s haze pollutes air across Southeast Asia

Forest-fire smoke from Indonesia is spreading across Southeast Asia, forcing schools to close and prompting authorities to tell millions of people to remain indoors. Air quality has reached “very unhealthy” to “hazardous” levels in parts of the Philippines and across much of Borneo, according to IQAir.

In the Philippines, Quezon City cancelled in-person classes at public schools on September 1. The country’s Environmental Management Bureau advised people to limit outdoor activity for extended periods, particularly those sensitive to air pollution, and urged residents to stay indoors and wear masks outside.

Sarawak, on the same island shared by Indonesia and Brunei, prepared to close offices and conduct cloud-seeding operations as conditions worsened. IQAir said Kuching recorded some of the world’s poorest air-quality readings for several days.

Indonesia has deployed thousands of firefighters in Kalimantan, while aircraft are carrying out water-bombing operations, said Rizal Irawan of the deputy ministry for environmental law enforcement, as quoted by Antara. Hazardous pollution has also reached Indonesian Borneo and several cities on Sumatra.

The haze has disrupted everyday life and business. Schools have moved classes online, residents are spending less time outdoors, shops and ride-hailing drivers are reporting weaker demand, and dozens of flights have been cancelled or delayed because of low visibility.

Official data show that Indonesia recorded almost 10,000 fire hotspots in August, ten times the level recorded two years earlier. More than 200,000 hectares have burned this year. The article links the increased risk of larger and longer-lasting fires to prolonged dry conditions and higher temperatures associated with El Niño.

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People are advised to limit outdoor activities for extended periods, especially those sensitive to air pollution.