‘Looks like Mars’: Toxic smog from Indonesia wildfires sparks health crisis, protests

Toxic smog is polluted air containing harmful gases and tiny airborne particles. The smallest particles can enter deep into the lungs, so breathing becomes more difficult and respiratory illnesses can worsen. The article links Indonesia’s haze to a rise in asthma and other chronic respiratory problems.

When forests and peatlands burn, smoke is released into the air. Burning vegetation and peat produces fine particulate matter, which can remain suspended and spread far beyond the fire zones. Winds carry the haze across borders, affecting Indonesia, Singapore, and other parts of Southeast Asia. The article reports that Singapore studies connected short-term particle increases with more emergency visits.

The danger is not only visible smoke. Indonesian health officials recorded more than 283,000 respiratory illness cases across seven provinces by October 13. Singapore resident Adeline Tong said the haze revived her asthma and made outdoor air unsafe without an N95 mask. Continued burning therefore threatens both health and daily life.

The crisis is regional rather than local. The haze has affected millions of people across Southeast Asia since the fires began in July. It has disrupted schools in multiple countries, reduced visibility, damaged outdoor activities, and affected major events such as Singapore’s Formula One night race.

Indonesia is the main fire-affected country, with cases reported across seven provinces. Singapore has also experienced severe pollution, reaching its highest level since 2015. The smoke has crossed national borders, creating health and political consequences for neighboring countries. Communities near the fires face direct exposure, while distant cities experience polluted air and restricted daily life.

The article does not give a complete number of affected countries or communities. It specifically discusses Indonesia and Singapore, while referring more broadly to Southeast Asia and multiple countries. By October 13, Indonesian authorities had recorded over 283,000 fire-linked respiratory illness cases, more than double the figure reported September 9.

Fine-particle pollution affects both bodies and routines. People may develop or worsen breathing problems, especially asthma and other chronic respiratory illnesses. High pollution also reduces visibility and makes outdoor exercise unsafe or unpleasant. The article describes a broad decline in quality of life, not just a short-term health problem.

In Singapore, a study found that short-term increases in airborne fine particles were associated with more emergency department visits. Those increases coincided with Indonesian haze in 2016 and 2019. Adeline Tong said the recent smoke brought back her long-dormant asthma, and she needs an inhaler if she goes outside without an N95 mask.

Daily activities can stop even for people who are not sick. Outdoor exercise becomes difficult, social lives shrink, and schools close. Tong said she could not see a nearby condominium because visibility was so poor. The haze also obscured Singapore’s skyline during its internationally watched Formula One race.

Indonesia’s fires were especially severe because heat and drought dried the landscape and helped fires spread or persist. The article calls this the country’s worst fire season in over a decade. It identifies a strong or “super” El Niño weather pattern as an important factor aggravating those conditions.

Fires already occur each year when forests and peatlands are burned to clear land. In a hotter, drier season, those fires can produce much more smoke and become harder to control. Natanael Undas, who has documented Indonesian air quality since 2014, said the fires this year were far worse than usual. His home in central Kalimantan was at the center of the smoke.

The result was months of orange and yellow skies, widespread haze, and a sharp rise in illness. Fires began in July and continued to affect millions across the region. The episode shows how recurring land-clearing fires can become a larger disaster when extreme weather dries the environment.

Responsibility is shared and contested. The article says family and commercial farms traditionally use “slash and burn” methods to clear land. It also reports that environmental groups and police identified companies linked or suspected to be involved in fire hot spots. Indonesia has begun prosecuting companies and sending aid to affected provinces.

Cross-border accountability is difficult because smoke from Indonesian fires affects neighboring countries. Walhi named 66 companies linked to Singapore and 27 linked to Malaysia. Indonesian police later identified 20 suspected corporations, including four from Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. These claims prompted Singapore to threaten prosecution and consider a joint task force with Indonesia.

Governments disagree about the evidence and proper response. Malaysia denied involvement by Malaysian companies, while Singapore did not comment on the request described. Indonesian protesters also accused their government of insufficient action and demanded independent investigations and a long-term prevention strategy.

Wildfire haze is a recurring regional problem, not a one-time event. The article says Indonesia’s forests and peatlands are set ablaze each year as family and commercial farms clear land. That repeated practice creates a continuing source of smoke, especially when weather makes fires more intense.

Past episodes show the pattern. Singapore’s air pollution reached its highest level since 2015, when Indonesian wildfires were also intensified by El Niño. A Singapore-focused study found that haze periods in 2016 and 2019 coincided with increased emergency visits for asthma and other chronic respiratory illnesses. Schools have also closed in multiple countries during the current crisis.

Responses have included public pressure, legal threats, and cross-border cooperation. Singapore threatened prosecution of responsible companies, while Indonesia said it was prosecuting linked corporations. The two countries considered a joint task force against illegal burning. Fires keep returning because land clearing continues and dry El Niño conditions can magnify the smoke.

Indonesia’s land-use practice is rooted in clearing land for farming. The article says family and commercial farms use traditional “slash and burn” methods to set forests and peatlands alight. This makes fire a direct tool for preparing land, but it also creates smoke that can affect people far from the original burn sites.

When forest and peatland vegetation burns, it releases smoke and fine particles into the air. Those particles contribute to toxic smog and can worsen respiratory illness. Heat and drought make the situation more severe, while the article identifies a “super” El Niño pattern as an aggravating factor this year. The resulting haze crossed borders into Singapore and wider Southeast Asia.

The effects extend beyond air quality. Fires disrupted schools, outdoor activities, and Singapore’s Formula One race, while threatening ancient cave paintings in Sulawesi. Preventing future crises will require the long-term prevention strategy protesters requested, along with enforcement against illegal burning and companies linked to fires.