ASMC declares highest alert level over Southeast Asian wildfires

Background: El Niño and slash-and-burn farming

The fires in Indonesia are directly relevant to the entire region. In recent years, the haze has repeatedly caused health problems in Singapore and Malaysia, flight cancellations and visibility problems for road traffic. Given the current spread of the burned areas, observers expect similar impacts in the coming weeks.

Experts attribute the regional background to the fires to a combination of slash-and-burn farming, drought and climatic conditions. This year, El Niño is favouring drought across large parts of Indonesia, further facilitating the spread of vegetation and peat fires.

According to local authorities, the Philippines is also affected by haze, although no comparable spread of fires has been reported there so far. Cooperation among Southeast Asian meteorological services is facilitated by the ASMC, which is based in Singapore and serves as a common platform for member states on air-quality issues.

Health impacts and recommendations

Health experts are advising residents in affected areas to avoid sustained outdoor physical activity as haze exposure increases and to wear respiratory protective masks. Older people, children and those with respiratory conditions are considered especially vulnerable. Official air-quality readings are continuously updated by national environmental agencies and the ASMC.

In similar situations in the past, the Indonesian government has sought to respond by banning slash-and-burn farming and temporarily closing threatened peatlands. It was initially unclear what specific steps the authorities would take in view of the current alert level. No details were initially released on possible transboundary assistance or coordination measures either.

Response and next steps

The ASC – an intergovernmental centre for the region – was initially unavailable for further comment late on Friday. However, observers expect further information in the coming days on the likely duration of the haze period and the geographical spread of the smoke plumes.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, BNPB, has repeatedly stressed that controlling fires in remote peatlands is technically demanding and dependent on weather conditions. Operations are only conditionally possible if winds continue to intensify the fires. Sustained rainfall is regarded as the most important natural factor in easing the situation.