Fires in Indonesia that have sent toxic smoke across Southeast Asia have prompted the highest level alert from the regional bloc’s weather monitor. The months-long wave of pollution has closed schools, caused a rise in respiratory illnesses and restricted outdoor activities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and East Timor. The haze is made up of vapors from forest and peat fires that have devastated parts of Indonesia, especially on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. These areas are covered by dense forests and vast expanses of peat bogs that are especially prone to fires during the dry season, which generally runs from April to October. The region is also currently under the influence of severe “Super-El Niño” weather conditions, which brought additional heat and dryness and caused wildfires to spread more rapidly. Although the extent of the damage is unknown, the environmental group Auriga reported that between January and August of this year, more than 637,000 hectares were burned, nine times the area of Singapore. Deforestation monitor Nusantara Atlas estimated the figure even higher, almost 900,000 hectares. “High risk” “This has to stop,” Zul Hafiz, a 39-year-old teacher who travels by bicycle from the Malaysian city of Shah Alam to the capital, told AFP on Saturday, calling on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take action. The 11-nation organisation’s ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Center (ASMC) said in a notice on its website on Friday that it had activated “Alert Level 3 for the southern ASEAN region”, the highest rung of a four-level warning system. The alert level is activated when there is a “high risk of severe cross-border haze in the region” and is reserved for widespread moderate to dense smoke haze, observed for two or more consecutive days. People take a walk as haze from forest fires envelops the area, on the bank of the Kahayan River in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, on October 15, 2026. © Usep Hariadi, Reuters The ASMC has already issued two Level 3 alerts this year, according to its website. Singapore on Saturday ranked second in IQAir’s live ranking of the world’s most polluted major cities, behind Baghdad, and Kuala Lumpur in third place. All readings showed “very dangerous” levels. ‘Irresponsible behavior’ Indonesia said on Saturday it had been using dry ice at one of the main airports in South Sumatra province in an attempt to disperse haze. The country’s national disaster mitigation agency said 2.4 tons of dry ice was dispersed by plane. “Smoke not only reduces visibility and disrupts aircraft operations, but also affects the health of residents,” the agency warned. The haze has disrupted life across Southeast Asia, causing new “It’s a bit unfair for Malaysia because of the irresponsible behavior of our neighboring country,” Khairul Azhar, a 33-year-old bank official in Kuala Lumpur, told AFP. “This affects our weekend routine, not only for us, but also for many Malaysians,” he said on October 16 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2026. © Hasnoor Hussain, Reuters In Palangkaraya, Indonesia, part of the epicenter of the fires where thick haze turned the skies apocalyptic shades of yellow and orange, residents said they were suffering their effects on Saturday. “The haze has a big impact on us, especially on health and the economy, with our income decreasing,” said Marzuki, a 38-year-old mechanic who, like many in Indonesia, has only one name. “Right now the economy is already very difficult and the haze is only making it worse,” he told AFP, adding that this year’s situation was worse than even the major haze episodes of 2015. “Hopefully it will rain soon, the fires will go out and the smoke will disappear so that activities can return to normal and it will be easier to make a living again,” he said. Joko, 51, a construction worker, said he had no choice but to continue working or he would lose income. “The thick smoke, when inhaled, makes it difficult to breathe and stings the eyes, but what else can you do? This is how we make a living,” Joko said, explaining that he had no steady income and relied on salaried jobs. In East Timor, unhealthy air pollution persisted on Saturday, including in the capital Dili, according to IQAir. Authorities warned that the situation could worsen on Saturday and schools were closed. Singapore said on Friday it would issue warnings to seven companies in Indonesia it identified as responsible for the fires. Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson for ASEAN affairs, Dominic Xavier Imperial, said on Friday that the haze will be discussed in upcoming meetings before the ASEAN summit in November in Manila (FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters).