Indonesia’s 2026 fire season is the biggest haze story in Southeast Asia this year, and smoke from it is already reaching neighboring countries — Wego breaks down what’s actually happening and how to plan around it.
If you have a trip planned to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, or Brunei this year, here’s what you actually need to know before you go.
- Regional watchdog SIIA has issued a rare “Red” haze alert for 2026, covering Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, with August and September flagged as the riskiest months.
- Indonesia’s burned area grew roughly 2.5x between February and May 2026 (32,637 to ~81,000 hectares) as El Niño conditions intensify.
- Check Singapore’s PSI or Malaysia’s API before and during your trip, and keep your itinerary flexible in August and September.
Which destinations are most exposed
Indonesia’s Sumatra (especially Riau) and Kalimantan provinces sit closest to the fires and see the thickest smoke. Wind direction decides where it drifts next.
Singapore sits downwind of Sumatra and tracks air quality closely every haze season. Kuala Lumpur and Peninsular Malaysia’s west coast face similar exposure when winds shift from the south-west, and Sarawak (Borneo) sits downwind of Kalimantan.
Bali and Jakarta are generally less exposed than Sumatra or Kalimantan, though local fires can still bring short bouts of smoky air. Brunei is also named in SIIA’s Red-rated outlook.
If you’re staying anywhere in the region, book somewhere with reliable air conditioning as a backup for smoky days.
How haze disrupts travel
- Flight delays and diversions: in past severe haze years, thick smoke has forced airports in Sumatra and Kalimantan to delay or cancel flights when visibility dropped too low.
- Outdoor sightseeing curtailed: eco-tourism, hiking, and outdoor city walks are usually the first plans to get scaled back once air quality turns unhealthy.
- Health advisories: children, older travelers, pregnant women, and anyone with heart or lung conditions are advised to cut back on outdoor exertion before air quality reaches its worst.
This kind of disruption is concentrated in the worst-hit areas on the worst-hit days. It’s still worth building slack into your itinerary if you’re travelling in August or September 2026.
What’s behind the haze
The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) has rated the region’s 2026 haze risk “Red”, only the second time it’s done so since the Outlook began in 2019, after the first in 2023.
The trigger is a returning El Niño: NOAA tracked the event strengthening through July 2026, with sea-surface temperature anomalies pointing toward a very strong El Niño by autumn — a stronger signal than the “moderate-level” assessment Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry gave back in June. Warmer, drier conditions make it easier for land-clearing fires to spread out of control.
Indonesia’s fire season started early this year. Its own fire data shows how fast the 2026 season escalated between the tail of the wet season and the start of the dry months.
That smoke is now reaching neighbors.
On 27 July, Serian district in Malaysia’s Sarawak state (on Borneo, downwind of Kalimantan) recorded an API of 151 — the region’s first “unhealthy” reading of the season — before easing back to a moderate 85 by the next morning, according to Sarawak’s Department of Environment via DayakDaily.
Singapore’s own PSI readings, tracked by the National Environment Agency’s haze.gov.sg, stayed in the good-to-moderate range through late July.
None of this means the worst has arrived. It means the conditions for a genuinely bad August and September — the months SIIA flags as highest-risk — are already in place.
How to check air quality before and during your trip
Singapore uses the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI); Malaysia uses a similar Air Pollutant Index (API). Both run on the same scale — here’s what each band means for your plans, so you’re not just staring at a number.
Haze coverage is reported in PSI or API numbers, so it helps to know which band actually changes what you should do outdoors.
Anything above 100 is where outdoor plans start needing a rethink, and above 200 is where sensitive travellers should stay indoors entirely. (The Hazardous band is open-ended above 300 — the bar above is capped for scale, not a real ceiling.)
Bookmark Singapore’s NEA haze portal and Malaysia’s Department of Environment site, and check them each morning of your trip — both show real-time readings by region. Most healthy travelers don’t need a mask for short outdoor trips, but pack a few N95s if you’ll be outdoors for hours once readings pass 300 (“hazardous”).
A practical haze-season checklist
- Check PSI/API daily: look up your destination’s air quality each morning, not just before departure.
- Pack a few N95 masks: cheap insurance if readings climb into “very unhealthy” or “hazardous” territory.
- Keep your itinerary flexible: build a spare day or two into multi-city trips through Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia this August and September.
- Check flight status directly with your airline: haze-related delays can appear with little notice, especially on routes touching Sumatra or Kalimantan airports.
- Plan an indoor backup: museums, malls, and indoor attractions are easy substitutes for outdoor plans on a heavy-haze day.
- Consider travel insurance with flight-delay cover: useful given the region’s history of haze-related disruption.
Should you cancel your trip?
Not automatically. Even in a Red-alert year, air quality on most days stays in the moderate range outside the worst-hit fire provinces, so a planned trip to Bali, Singapore, or Kuala Lumpur doesn’t need to be scrapped.
The sensible approach: monitor PSI and API daily, especially through August and September, and adjust outdoor plans rather than cancel outright. Compare flights and hotels for your trip on Wego with a flexible fare or cancellation policy if you want extra peace of mind this haze season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SIIA Red haze rating for 2026?
It’s a high-risk rating from the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, warning of a severe transboundary haze event across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. It’s only the second Red rating since the outlook began in 2019, after the first in 2023.
Which cities are most likely to see haze in 2026?
Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia typically see the thickest smoke, since that’s where most fires burn. Sarawak, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur are the most exposed major destinations when winds carry that smoke across the region.
What do PSI and API readings mean for travelers?
Both use similar 0-300+ scales, where above 100 is “unhealthy” and above 300 is “hazardous.” Healthy travelers can generally continue normal plans below 100, but should limit outdoor time above 200 and consider an N95 mask once readings pass 300.
Will haze cancel or delay my flight?
It can, if visibility drops too low at airports in Sumatra or Kalimantan, as happened during the severe 2015 haze. Check your airline’s status directly and keep a flexible itinerary during August and September 2026.
Should I cancel my Southeast Asia trip because of the haze?
Not automatically. Most days, even during a Red-alert year, air quality stays in the moderate range outside the worst-hit provinces, so monitor PSI and API daily and adjust outdoor plans rather than cancel outright.
Sources
- Singapore Institute of International Affairs — SIIA Haze Outlook 2026 Media Release
- Mongabay — Indonesia braces for possible “Godzilla El Niño” as fire season escalates early
- RRI.co.id — Indonesia Faces Rising Fire Risk as 81,000 Hectares Burned amid El Niño (Forestry Ministry, 18 June 2026 briefing)
- The Jakarta Post — Wildfires spread across country as dry season takes hold
- DayakDaily / Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) — Southwest monsoon raises transboundary haze risk for Sarawak as Kalimantan hotspots top 1,000
- DayakDaily / Sarawak Department of Environment — Serian records unhealthy API reading of 151 amid transboundary haze (27 July 2026)
- Singapore National Environment Agency — Haze.gov.sg (PSI readings and haze advisory)
- Singapore Ministry of Health — Haze health advisory
- Malaysia Department of Environment — Haze in Malaysia
- NOAA Climate Prediction Center — ENSO Diagnostic Discussion (El Niño status, July 2026)
- The Jakarta Post — Thick haze paralyzes schools, airports in Sumatra, Kalimantan (2015)
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
