The deterioration in air quality has triggered emergency measures in neighboring Malaysia. Authorities in Batu Pahat, Johor, closed approximately 200 schools, kindergartens, and childcare centers on Wednesday as toxic smoke from Indonesian fires pushed pollution to unsafe levels. The haze originates from dense smoke plumes drifting from burning forests in southern and central Sumatra and West Kalimantan. These plumes are being carried toward Singapore and Malaysia by prevailing south-easterly and southerly winds.
By 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 9, Singapore’s air quality remained unhealthy across all five monitoring regions. The central region recorded a PSI of 166, just one point below the year’s peak, while the west region stood at 161. The south, east, and north regions recorded PSI values of 145, 140, and 113, respectively. Air quality is classified as unhealthy when the PSI, which measures six major pollutants over a rolling 24-hour period, falls between 101 and 200. Although some regions briefly recorded moderate readings between 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday and 1:00 a.m. on Thursday, all five regions returned to unhealthy levels by 2:00 a.m.
Hourly PM2.5 readings, which provide a more immediate indication of air quality by measuring fine particulate matter, also indicated severe pollution in certain areas. In the west region, PM2.5 levels reached 152 at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, entering the “high” pollution band, which ranges from 151 to 250. Other regions remained elevated, with the south recording 146, the central region 137, the east 115, and the north 85. Readings between 56 and 150 are considered elevated.
Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) issued a daily advisory warning that air quality could remain in the high moderate to mid-unhealthy range. The agency noted that dry conditions are expected to persist in the affected Indonesian territories, raising the prospect of continued haze. The NEA stated that under the prevailing wind patterns, smoke haze may continue to drift toward Singapore. The timing of this severe haze event is notable as it occurs days before Singapore hosts its annual Formula One race, an event that typically draws thousands of international visitors.
The current pollution levels represent a significant escalation from earlier in the month. While the central region’s PSI hit 170 at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, breaking the previous 2026 record, the situation has shown no signs of easing by Thursday morning. The persistent smoke plumes from Indonesia continue to impact public health and daily activities across the region, prompting ongoing monitoring and emergency responses from local authorities in both Singapore and Malaysia.
