Singapore records first islandwide unhealthy PSI since 2019 as haze worsens

On Tuesday, Singapore's air quality plummeted to unhealthy levels due to smoke from Indonesian wildfires. This marked the first time in over two years that the city-state experienced hazardous air quality across all five regions, according to the National Environment Agency. Singapore's air quality now ranks among the top ten most polluted cities globally, alongside the capitals of Malaysia and Indonesia.

Indonesia frequently faces wildfires during its dry season, but this year's hotspots have been unusually severe. Over 9,000 fires were recorded in August, the highest monthly count since 2015, while more than 7,000 fires have been documented in September so far. The worsening situation is attributed to the intensifying El Nino weather pattern, which leads to drier conditions across the region.

Expert forecasters predict that the transboundary smoke haze will persist, with little immediate respite expected as dry conditions are anticipated to continue across southern Southeast Asia. Air quality in parts of Indonesia's Kalimantan and Sumatra regions, where the majority of the fires are located, reached dangerous or very unhealthy levels as of Tuesday.

Malaysia also suffered from the smoky conditions, leading to a change in venue for the country's National Day speech due to the choking haze. A state of emergency was declared in part of Sarawak state earlier this month. The dry weather has adversely impacted Indonesia's vast natural resources sector, causing water shortages at a major nickel complex and threatening palm oil production.

Slash-and-burn agricultural practices have been linked to the fires, and the dry undergrowth can easily ignite carbon-rich peatland, which smolders for extended periods, making it challenging to control. Smoke plumes from fires in Kalimantan spread towards Singapore due to a change in wind direction, accompanied by haze from Sumatra.

The National Environment Agency expects the haze to linger over the next 24 hours, with air quality ranging from high-moderate to mid-unhealthy conditions. A slight increase in rainfall in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan next week could provide temporary relief, though the relief is not expected to be widespread or sustained based on current forecasts.

The Indonesian wildfires contribute to a challenging year for global wildfires, as regions in Europe and North America also grapple with extensive blazes. Forecasts indicate a 75 percent chance that the current El Nino event may become a historic one, surpassing all records since 1950, according to the US Climate Prediction Centre.