Brief
Indonesia wildfires trigger ASEAN Level‑3 haze alert across Southeast Asia
The haze, fueled by forest and peat fires and a super‑El Niño, has led to health warnings and dry‑ice dispersal attempts.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Fires across Indonesia have produced a toxic haze that now blankets parts of Southeast Asia, prompting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to activate a Level‑3 alert, the highest rung of its four‑tier system, according to the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) on Friday.
What happened
The haze stems from forest and peatland fires on Borneo and Sumatra, intensified by a severe "super‑El Niño" that has extended the dry season. Environmental group Auriga says more than 637,000 hectares burned from January to August, while the monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas estimates nearly 900,000 hectares. The ASMC’s Level‑3 alert is triggered when "high risk of severe trans‑boundary haze" persists for two consecutive days.
What the reports add
France 24 notes that this is the third Level‑3 alert issued by the ASMC this year. IQAir’s live ranking placed Singapore second and Kuala Lumpur third among the world’s most polluted major cities, both recording "very hazardous" readings. The Indonesian national disaster mitigation agency disclosed that 2.4 tonnes of dry ice were dropped from an aircraft over South Sumatra’s main airport in an effort to disperse the haze.
What was said
"This thing needs to stop," said Zul Hafiz, a 39‑year‑old teacher from Shah Alam, Malaysia, to AFP, urging ASEAN to act. The ASMC’s notice described the alert as a response to "widespread moderate to dense smoke haze" observed over the region.
How it came about
The current haze follows a series of fire‑related crises reported by Felo News, including the rescue of an injured orangutan in Borneo (previous coverage) and the death of four firefighters battling blazes in East Java (earlier report). Earlier this month, Malaysian schools were closed as air‑pollution indices rose to unhealthy levels (see report).
Key facts
- ASEAN activated a Level‑3 haze alert for the Southern region on 2026‑10‑18. (france24.com)
- More than 637,000 hectares burned from January to August, according to Auriga. (france24.com)
- Indonesia dispersed 2.4 tonnes of dry ice from a plane over South Sumatra airport. (france24.com)
- Singapore ranked second and Kuala Lumpur third among the world’s most polluted major cities, per IQAir. (france24.com)
Timeline
- 2026-01-01 — Start of the dry season, exacerbated by super‑El Niño.
- 2026-08-31 — Auriga reports 637,000 hectares burned.
- 2026-10-18 — ASEAN Level‑3 haze alert activated.
Sources
- [1] france24.com — originally reported as “Months-long Indonesia wildfires spew toxic haze across Southeast Asia”
