Singapore faces a greater risk of haze this week as dry conditions and fires persist across parts of Indonesia.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) said on 9 August that hotspots and smoke plumes had been detected over Sumatra and Kalimantan. The dry weather was expected to continue during the coming week, allowing fires and the resulting smoke to persist.
However, the presence of hotspots does not automatically mean Singapore will be blanketed in haze.
Wind Direction Could Decide Whether Smoke Reaches Singapore
For haze to affect Singapore, fires must produce enough smoke over a sustained period and winds must carry that pollution in our direction.
NEA said the prevailing south-easterly winds could transport smoke towards Singapore, especially from fires in southern Sumatra.
Fires in Kalimantan may be serious without having the same immediate effect here. On 11 August, Reuters reported that haze from fires in West Kalimantan had affected parts of neighbouring Sarawak, where several areas recorded unhealthy air quality.
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre said smoke plumes from West Kalimantan were moving northwards towards western Sarawak. Meanwhile, lighter smoke plumes had also been observed over southern Sumatra, where smoke could be carried towards Singapore by prevailing winds.
In short, haze depends not just on how many fires exist, but also on their location, intensity, duration and the wind at the time.
Hotspot counts themselves should also be interpreted carefully. The regional centre describes hotspots as satellite-detected locations where fires may be present. Cloud cover and incomplete satellite passes can cause some fires to go undetected.
Singapore’s PSI Reached the Moderate Range on 9 August
At 1pm on 9 August, Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index, or PSI, reached 81 in the central region. This remained within the moderate range.
A reading above 100 falls within the unhealthy range. NEA said it would begin issuing daily haze advisories, including forecasts for the following day, if the 24-hour PSI crosses that threshold.
Singapore’s Haze Task Force, which comprises 28 public agencies, is prepared to activate its response plans if air quality deteriorates into the unhealthy range.
For decisions about exercising or spending time outdoors over the next few hours, NEA recommends checking the one-hour PM2.5 reading. PM2.5 refers to very small airborne particles that can enter deep into the lungs.
The 24-hour PSI and its accompanying health advice are more useful when planning activities for the following day.
El Niño Is Increasing the Broader Haze Risk
The heightened concern extends beyond this week.
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre said El Niño conditions were present and expected to strengthen over the coming months. Below-normal rainfall is also forecast across much of the southern ASEAN region from August to October.
These conditions do not start fires by themselves, but they dry out vegetation and peatlands, making fires easier to spread and harder to extinguish.
The Singapore Institute of International Affairs gave the region its highest haze-risk rating for the remainder of 2026. Its assessment identified August and September as the period of greatest concern for a severe transboundary haze event affecting Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
That forecast is a risk assessment, not a prediction that severe haze will definitely reach Singapore.
For now, the ingredients for haze are becoming more favourable. Whether Singapore actually smells the smoke will still depend heavily on how the regional fires develop and where the wind takes them.
