The BBC's Vandhna Bhan was out at Marina Bay in Singapore today where she described the experience of smelling - and tasting - the smog in the air.

Kelly Ng
Reporting from Singapore

Several reports have emerged, on news outlets and social media platforms, that Singapore is the city with the worst air quality in the world right now.

While it's true that the air pollution here is quite bad, this characterisation may be misleading.

Most of these reports are attributed to IQAir, a real-time monitoring platform which currently has Singapore on top of its "most pollutedglobal major city ranking", with an air quality index (AQI) of 217.

Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur comes close in second place with an index of 210.

IQAir's fine print, however, defines this as a ranking of "approximately 120 major cities [including] some of the largest and most well-known metropolises around the world" – which makes this a subset of the world's cities.

Image source, IQAir

A separate monitoring platform AQI.In, which uses a similar air quality index as IQAir, has Sampit and Palangkaraya, two cities in Indonesia's Kalimantan region, on the top of its "real-time most polluted cities in the world" ranking.

This would make sense given that Kalimantan is where many of the wildfires have originated, and are still burning.

In Sampit, the AQI is at a "hazardous" level of 334, while in Palangkaraya the index is at 297, in the "severe" range, according to AQI.In.

This list contains 250 of the world's most polluted cities, regardless of their size.

Image source, AQI.in

Indonesia is battling its most destructive wildfire season in over a decade.

\More than 60,000 sq km of land has been burnt so far this year, compared to nearly 100,000 sq km during the catastrophic season in 2015, according to data from the Global Wildfire Information System.

Data also shows that this year's wildfire season is on track to match at least 2014's levels. Overall data also shows that the burning tends to plateau by November.

Jaltson Akkanath Chummar
Asia business producer

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Organisers of the F1 race in Singapore have told the BBC that the possibility of haze is one of the many issues they have looked at in their planning for the event.

Their contingency plans include “ensuring availability of N95 masks on site if required," a spokesperson for Singapore GP said.

The race weekend is expected to host more than 300,000 fans over the three days starting from today.

“There is absolutely no risk to the event and the conditions where the event is taking place is not a concern," the F1 spokesperson added.

There have been reports that organisers were considering putting some restrictions on outdoor activities like entertainment events if the haze gets worse. JJ Lin, The Killers, Lana Del Rey and Janet Jackson are some of the big names scheduled to perform over the weekend.

But a representative from the FIA, the motor sports governing body, told the BBC "that is not the case" and shared a statement saying "air quality and haze are not forecast to represent a threat to track activity or the staging of the event".

Singapore's landmarks are disappearing in the haze - and so are those in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur. Footage from wire agencies shows the Petronas Twin Towers and the Menara Kuala Lumpur barely visible in the smog.

Farida Susanty
BBC Indonesia

Over the past few days, air quality in several areas affected by forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan has reached hazardous levels.

Residents have reported sore eyes, as if sand had been thrown into them, as well as persistent runny noses, throat irritation and dry coughs.

As of 8 October, data from Indonesia's Environment Ministry showed Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan recording the highest Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) reading at 1,231, followed by Palembang in South Sumatra at 1,148.

Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan recorded 627, while PALI Regency in South Sumatra, near Palembang, registered 578. Kampar Regency in Riau recorded an ISPU reading of 373.

All five locations were in the highest "hazardous" category, indicating a serious risk to human health.

Vandhna Bhan
BBC News

We are out by Marina East Park in Singapore where you can clearly see the toxic smog blanketing the iconic Singapore skyline.

There is a distinct smell in the air and you can taste it in your mouth, a chalky sort of taste. My eyes are also beginning to water and get itchy.

Normally this is quite a bustling cycling route popular with locals and tourists to see the skyline, as they make their way to Gardens By the Bay, I in fact myself cycle here often and it's heaving with people especially if - like today - it's a bit more shaded.

But of course that shade is due to the haze and the cycle route and park here is completely empty. Clearly people are choosing to stay indoors.

Julianna Khan
Live reporter

Dr Chai, a 35-year-old dentist living in Kuala Lumpur (KL), is behind a viral video online comparing the difference of KL's skyline view before and after the haze.

He told the BBC he was concerned for both public health and local businesses after nearly three months of the persistent haze without any sign of relief.

“The air is hot and polluted, and my throat has started to react. Phlegm built up," he said, adding that some people he knew had developed mild fevers

He noted that KL’s frequent thunderstorms have failed to clear the air, indicating the severity of this year’s fires.

Image source, @meww111 on Instagram

Image source, @meww111 on Instagram

Muhammad Irham
BBC Indonesia

Many of the fires in Indonesia are in Kalimantan and Sumatra, but a new region is emerging as a new hotspot, according to data from Greenpeace Indonesia.

The non-governmental organisation identified 6,811 fire and smoke hotspots across Indonesia from 8 August to 1 October 2026 using satellite imagery.

The highest concentrations were recorded in Central Kalimantan (1,728 hotspots), South Papua (1,413), West Kalimantan (1,240), and South Sumatra (953), with others spread across South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Jambi, and Riau.

The findings suggest the geography of Indonesia's wildfire crisis may be shifting.

“People may not talk about it much because the focus has long been on Kalimantan and Sumatra, but Papua has emerged as a new epicentre,” Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaigner Belgis Habiba said.

Greenpeace said nearly one-third of the hotspots were located within 120 forestry concessions and 233 oil palm plantation concessions.

While most F1 teams that competed in a race in Malaysia last weekend have travelled to neighbouring Singapore the usual way - planes and cars - one F1 driver has chosen a more unusual means of transport.

The Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas cycled from Sepang in Malaysia to Singapore over several days - and nights - covering a distance of nearly 420km.

He documented on social media his journey through jungles, plantations and highways, encountering cows, snakes and lizards.

Many online expressed awe and amusement at his journey and congratulated him - with some joking that he had "lungs of steel" to withstand the unhealthy air along the way.

You can read more about his journey and what he thought of it here.

Kelly Ng
Reporting from Singapore

While Singapore and Malaysia continue to be affected by the toxic haze, data from environmental group Greenpeace shows that a number of the Indonesian plantations producing the most smog are linked to business entities based in those neighbouring countries.

Among these is PT Damai Agro Sejahtera, which is affiliated with Bumitama Agri Ltd, an oil palm compnay headquartered in Singapore. Twenty-nine haze sources were detected in this land concession from 21 August to 11 September this year, according to Greenpeace.

Another example raised by Greenpeace is PT Menteng Jaya Sawit Perdana, which is part of the Kuala Lumpur Kepong Group and recorded 19 haze source points over six days.

Kuala Lumpur Kepong Group said in response that a majority of the fires originated beyond the area under its purview, and that the fires have been put out.

"The root of this entire disaster lies in landscape mismanagement that provides extensive room" for activities that extract resources from the Earth, Greenpeace said in a statement early this week.

"Regional corporate links need to be examined," it urged, "not to generalise that foreign companies are the cause of the fires, but to ensure ownership transparency [and proper] tracing of responsibility".

The haze is caused by fires in Indonesian forests and peatlands, and many of these fires are started by farmers and plantation owners who burn vegetation to clear land for crops.

In Singapore, iconic landmarks are being shrouded in toxic haze from the fires. The BBC’s Tessa Wong breaks down how the wildfire smoke is impacting countries around South East Asia.

Earlier this week an Indonesian court in Kalimantan, where many of the wildfires are burning, began hearing a case filed against the national government for "gross negligence" over the haze.

The lawsuit was brought on by a group of civil society organisations.

They are accusing 10 defendants, including President Prabowo Subianto and the governor of West Kalimantan, of failing to address the problem. They are also asking the government to declare the haze a national disaster, which would allow for recovery and rehabilitation measures.

Kalimantan is one of the worst-hit regions in Indonesia, with fires raging in forests and peatlands. Residents have lived with thick, choking smoke for weeks.

Image source, Fadhlina Sidek's Facebook page

Following Johor's decision to shut schools for two days, authorities in several other Malaysian states – including Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor where the capital city of Kuala Lumpur is situated – have also done the same as air quality continues to deteriorate.

Authorities have also ordered for schools across the country to shut if their area's air pollution readings exceed 180 on the country's Air Pollutant Index.

"I have asked all state education departments and district education offices to continue to monitor the ​haze situation and take immediate action if the situation ​requires it," Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said in a Facebook post late on Thursday.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for a meeting of ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc to coordinate a regional response towards the haze.

Kelly Ng
Reporting from Singapore

Singapore's air quality level has plummeted to its worst so far this year.

The country's Pollutants Standards Index, a 24-hour rolling average of six key pollutants, hit a high of 170 in the central region. The index ranges from 0 to 500. It falls into "unhealthy" range upon crossing 101, while a reading above 200 denotes "very unhealthy" territory.

Coming into work this morning, I saw many people masked up, quickening their steps to get into their respective office buildings. A lady in front of me had her face shielded in her cardigan as we waited to cross the road.

The colourful residential blocks that I usually see on my daily commute have been blanketed in haze all week, but visibility was especially poor today.

PSI readings in other parts of the island hovered between 117 and 166 on Friday morning.

Image source, Kelly Ng

Liza Tambunan
Jakarta Correspondent

Authorities have deployed tens of thousands of personnel to tackle the blazes, particularly in six priority areas spread across Kalimantan and Sumatra.

They are tasked with fire-fighting efforts both on the ground and above, including through cloud-seeding operations to trigger rain, as well as water-bombing from helicopters.

Japan and Malaysia have also helped in these efforts.

But the fires keep burning, as official data shows the number of hotspots continue to fluctuate, rising again after a period of decline.

Indonesia is experiencing its worse wildfires since 2015. Scientists say these fires are exacerbated by the dry conditions brought on by the ongoing super El Nino.

But environment groups have also highlighted human activities as a contributing factor these blazes and are calling for stricter repercussions against corporations who are allegedly linked to the fires, in particular from illegal slash-and-burning activities.

Amid a public outcry, President Prabowo Subianto has vowed to take firm action against corporations found responsible for forest and land fires.

Authorities have so far revoked the permits of five companies accused of contributing to the fires, while dozens of others have their permits frozen.

Image source, LightRocket via Getty Images

Singapore authorities are keeping a close eye on the haze situation as the island-state hosts the upcoming Formula 1 night race.

The event organisers and local authorities will keep race participants informed of the latest haze developments and provide medical assistance and masks if required, a spokesperson for the Singapore Tourism Board said.

Just across the border in Malaysia, the state of Johor has shut all schools for two days due to worsening air quality.

The schools have been closed since yesterday, with the air quality in the Johor town of Batu Pahat reaching "very unhealthy" levels earlier this week and registering the worst readings in the country this season.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

The air in Singapore entered the "unhealthy range" at the start of September for the first time since 2023, Singapore's National Environment Agency said.

The haze is a result of recent dry conditions in the region and hotspots over parts of Indonesia, the agency said.

Since then, the local government has issued regular advisories, urging the public to stay hydrated and reduce outdoor activities.

Schools have been told to reduce prolonged outdoor activities while some have also been supplied with air purifiers to use in the classroom.

Wildfires raging in Indonesia have produced toxic smog, causing tens of thousands of people to suffer respiratory illnesses since August.

The air quality in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore has reached unhealthy levels as a result of the toxic haze.

The BBC's Liza Tambunan explains the effects of the wildfires and how Indonesia is attempting to tackle them.