El Niño Raises Cross-Border Haze Risk Across Southeast Asia: Singapore Urged for Preparedness

As the dry season begins across southern ASEAN, Singapore faces an elevated risk of transboundary haze in the coming months. The combination of strengthening El Niño conditions and reduced rainfall is expected to increase wildfire hotspots across the region, particularly in fire-prone areas of Indonesia. With prevailing southwest monsoon winds capable of transporting smoke towards Singapore, haze episodes are more likely between July and October, with the greatest concern during August and September.

Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) has warned that a prolonged dry season driven by El Niño could further increase the likelihood and duration of cross-border haze. The Singapore Institute of International Affairs has also issued a high-risk alert, noting that Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia may experience significant haze episodes during the second half of the year. In response, Singapore's multi-agency haze task force has activated its preparedness measures to respond quickly should air quality deteriorate.

Commenting on the potential health impacts, Professor Yan Hong, Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Health (CCEH) at Nanyang Technological University, emphasised the importance of early preparedness. "Communities should prepare before haze conditions worsen. Ensuring that home air purifiers are functioning effectively with HEPA filters can help maintain cleaner indoor air. People should also monitor air quality updates, including the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) and hourly PM₂.₅ concentrations, particularly when planning outdoor activities."

Professor Yan also advised vulnerable populations, including older adults, children, pregnant women, and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, to take additional precautions during haze periods. He recommended reducing strenuous outdoor activities when air quality reaches unhealthy levels, moving exercise indoors where possible, keeping essential medications readily available, and preparing well-fitting N95 masks for situations where outdoor exposure cannot be avoided. As climate change increases the frequency of compound climate hazards such as extreme heat and air pollution, strengthening community preparedness remains essential for protecting public health.

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