Indonesia Rain Set to Ease Toxic Haze in Singapore, Malaysia

Toxic haze is polluted air containing smoke and fine particles from burning vegetation and land. It matters because people can breathe it, cities become unhealthy, and visibility and daily activities suffer. Indonesia's fires produced enough smoke to affect neighboring countries for weeks.

Many fires are linked to slash-and-burn agriculture. Indonesia's exceptionally dry landscape allowed flames to spread, especially in areas such as Kalimantan and Sumatra. Smoke drifted across national borders, covering towns and reaching Singapore and Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur and Singapore repeatedly ranked among the world's most polluted cities, according to IQAir.

The haze has had visible effects. Schools closed, demand for air purifiers increased, and harvesting slowed at some palm estates. Singapore considered legal action against companies suspected of illegal burning and agreed with Indonesia to create a joint forest-fire taskforce. More consistent rain could suppress fires and gradually clear the air, but widespread downpours were still weeks away.

The season has been severe because Indonesia lost most of its usual rainfall during the crucial dry period. Atmospheric G2 reported that the country received less than a quarter of normal rainfall since June. That left soils and vegetation extremely dry, allowing fires to start easily and resist control.

The hotspot count shows the scale. Nearly 13,500 hotspots were detected nationwide so far this month, according to the forestry ministry's SiPongi platform. It was the highest monthly count since 2015. September and August also recorded high numbers, showing that the crisis was not a short-lived flare-up.

The damage extended beyond burning land. Smoke polluted Indonesia and neighboring countries, disrupted schools, and affected agriculture. Palm-oil production estimates for next year were cut to 56.6 million tons, a two-year low, from 59 million tons previously. Rainfall was expected to improve in November and December, but heavier rain remained delayed in some fire zones.

Heavier rain would add moisture to soil, vegetation, and fire-prone landscapes. That makes ignition less likely and can slow or extinguish active fires. Fewer fires would produce less smoke, reducing the toxic haze that has affected Indonesian towns and drifted into Singapore and Malaysia.

The article gives a clear chain of effects. Rainfall has already begun replenishing soil moisture after months of drought. Forecasts suggested near-normal rain in November and stronger rainfall in December, including possible monthly totals above 300 millimeters in parts of South Sumatra and Kalimantan. Strong rain can also clean the air to some degree, helping more storms form.

The benefits would reach daily life and the economy. Cleaner air could reduce pollution exposure and help schools reopen normally. It could also ease pressure on hospitals and households, although the article does not quantify health cases. Rain would help harvesting and palm pollination, but consistent rainfall is needed, especially in peatlands where fires may continue underground.

El Niño is a recurring Pacific Ocean climate pattern that can shift weather and reduce rainfall in parts of Indonesia. During this episode, Indonesia endured severe drought and received less than a quarter of normal rainfall since June. Dry soil, vegetation, and peat created conditions in which fires could spread rapidly.

Agricultural burning added another danger. The article links many fires to slash-and-burn practices, which clear land by using fire. Under wet conditions, such burns may be easier to control. During this drought, however, surrounding land was dry, so flames could escape and firefighters faced tougher conditions. Nearly 13,500 hotspots were detected this month.

The result was a prolonged regional crisis. Fires released smoke that reached Singapore and Malaysia, while haze disrupted schools, air quality, harvesting, and oil-palm pollination. Rainfall was expected to improve, but authorities warned that consistent rain would be needed. Fires in peatlands could remain difficult to extinguish even after showers begin.

Peatlands are wet landscapes containing thick layers of partly decomposed plant material called peat. This material stores carbon and can dry out during prolonged drought. When it ignites, fire may spread through the underground peat layer rather than appearing only as visible flames. That makes detection and suppression especially difficult.

The article warns that rainfall may not extinguish existing fires, particularly in peatlands. A short shower can wet the surface while leaving deeper, dried peat burning or smoldering. Such hidden fire can continue producing smoke and may return to the surface when conditions dry again. Consistent rainfall reaching affected areas matters more than one isolated downpour.

This is why forecasts offer relief but not certainty. Rain was expected to become more substantial through November and December, with heavy totals possible in parts of Kalimantan and Sumatra. Yet fire officials still needed sustained precipitation to end the crisis. Until then, peatland fires could prolong haze across Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia.

The 1997–1998 season is a warning about false relief. Fires expanded during a prolonged dry season in 1997. When rain finally arrived in December, weeks later than normal, it briefly suppressed the blazes. That reprieve did not permanently end the crisis.

The fires returned in early 1998 because the rainy season ended prematurely. A lingering El Niño contributed to that early end, according to the article. The example shows how fire risk can rebound when rainfall is delayed, uneven, or too short. It also illustrates the danger of relying on a few heavy showers to solve a wider drought.

The same concern applies today. Forecasts pointed to improving rain in November and December, and Indonesian authorities hoped to resolve the crisis in November. But fires, smoke, and reduced rainfall can reinforce one another. Consistent rain would be needed to extinguish existing fires and prevent renewed burning after a temporary improvement.

El Niño is a recurring climate pattern involving unusually warm surface waters across parts of the tropical Pacific. This changes atmospheric circulation and shifts rain-bearing weather systems. In established climate science, those changes can reduce rainfall over Indonesia during some El Niño events, although the exact effects vary by place and season.

The article links this El Niño to months of severe drought. Indonesia received less than a quarter of normal rainfall since June, leaving soils and vegetation bone-dry. Fires, often associated with slash-and-burn agriculture, then became harder to contain. Nearly 13,500 hotspots were detected nationwide this month, the highest count since 2015.

The consequences spread across borders. Smoke from the fires polluted Indonesia and drifted into Singapore and Malaysia, disrupting schools and worsening air quality. Rainfall forecasts offered hope for November and December, but history showed that fire risk can return if the rainy season ends early. The article also describes a feedback loop in which smoke may suppress rainfall.