Smoke from Indonesia pushes Singapore air quality back into unhealthy territory

Singapore’s skyline is obscured by haze as the 24-hour PSI in the central region climbed to 102 on October 3. — AFP pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Saturday, 03 Oct 2026 11:28 AM MYT

SINGAPORE, Oct 3 — Air quality in Singapore worsened today, with pollution levels in the central region returning to the unhealthy range as smoke from fires in Indonesia continued to drift towards the island.

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in central Singapore reached 102 at 11am, according to figures reported by The Straits Times, crossing the threshold of 101 at which air quality is classified as unhealthy.

Readings elsewhere on the island remained in the moderate range but also climbed during the morning. At 6am, the PSI in the north, south, east and west ranged from 73 to 88, before rising to between 76 and 94 by 11am.

Fine-particle pollution was also elevated in three of Singapore’s five regions, with one-hour PM2.5 readings of 66 in the east, 63 in central Singapore and 57 in the west, The Straits Times reported.

An hourly PM2.5 reading of between 56 and 150 is considered elevated and is used as a guide for immediate outdoor activities, while the 24-hour PSI is used for planning activities further ahead.

The deterioration came after Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) warned on Thursday that moderate to dense smoke plumes from southern Sumatra had been observed drifting towards Singapore, while smoke haze was also detected from fires in Kalimantan.

The agency said prevailing south-easterly or southerly winds could carry the haze towards the island, forecasting the 24-hour PSI to remain between the moderate and low unhealthy ranges.

Regional monitoring showed clusters of hotspots in southern Sumatra and parts of Kalimantan, with moderate to dense transboundary smoke haze affecting Singapore and parts of the wider southern Asean region.

Singapore last saw its PSI move into the unhealthy range on Sept 30, when haze blanketed the island and the reading in central Singapore peaked at 134 at 1am.

The highest PSI recorded so far this year was 167 in the central region on Sept 29, according to The Straits Times.

The latest episode follows repeated spells of unhealthy air since early September. The PSI first breached 100 on September 4, the first such haze-related episode since October 2023.

The risk could persist longer than usual this year. Experts cited by The Straits Times have said the strong El Niño conditions could prolong hotter and drier weather into October and November, increasing the likelihood of fires and haze persisting across parts of the region.

The Meteorological Service Singapore has also said strong El Niño events can delay the end of the dry season across southern Asean, with Singapore’s seasonal transition expected only in late October or early November.