Philippine capital’s ‘acutely unhealthy’ air due to Indonesian haze spurs warnings

Indonesian forest fires have produced acrid haze affecting parts of Southeast Asia, prompting millions to remain indoors and disrupting palm harvests. Air quality readings across Borneo and portions of the Philippines ranged from "very unhealthy" to "hazardous," according to Swiss monitoring service IQAir. Authorities intensified their response as the cross-border crisis worsened.

In Indonesia, farm workers were being directed to firefighting efforts, with palm fruit production potentially impacted by smoke and lower sunlight. El Niño-related extreme heat and prolonged dryness have heightened the risk of widespread, longer-lasting emergencies this year. Over 10,000 fire hotspots were reported in Indonesia last month, with more than 200,000 hectares burned so far this year.

David Ng, a senior trader at IcebergX Sdn, noted that drier conditions would affect palm yields in the medium term, potentially boosting prices already near two-year highs. Sarawak, Malaysia's Sarawak state on Borneo, contemplated closing offices and utilizing cloud seeding to counter worsening conditions, with public and private sector offices set to close and cloud seeding operations scheduled for September 3-5.

Meanwhile, schools in Quezon City, the most populous city in the Philippines capital region, cancelled in-person classes due to haze. Indonesian authorities deployed thousands of firefighters and aircraft to combat the blazes, while residents limited outdoor activities and businesses faced reduced demand due to poor air quality.