October 10: Haze from fires in Indonesia eased slightly in Singapore on Saturday, but air quality stayed in the unhealthy range across the island. The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in central Singapore was 170 at 1 pm, down from this year’s high of 192 on Friday evening, according to National Environment Agency (NEA) data published on the government’s data.gov.sg service. In Malaysia, 33 areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings at 10 am, with Batu Pahat in Johor the highest at 190, Bernama reported via Malay Mail.
Key highlights
- Every region of Singapore was still in the unhealthy band (101 to 200) at 1 pm, with readings from 121 in the north to 170 in the central region, NEA data show.
- Singapore convened its Haze Task Force on Friday after the central PSI reached 192 at 5 pm, the highest of the 2026 haze season, The Online Citizen reported. NEA warned the PSI could cross 200.
- In Malaysia, schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and the Rompin district of Pahang were closed on Friday, Malay Mail reported.
- Under the Education Ministry’s rule, schools in areas with readings above 150 for three consecutive days must close from Monday, October 12, according to Malay Mail.
- Malaysia’s Health Ministry said upper respiratory infections at 78 monitored facilities rose 10.43% and conjunctivitis cases rose 26.47% in a week.
- Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he had personally contacted Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto about the haze, AFP reported.
Singapore: region by region
The table compares NEA’s 24-hour PSI readings at 7 pm on Friday, when the haze was at its worst, with the 1 pm reading on Saturday. The change column is our calculation.
| Region | Fri, Oct 9, 7 pm | Sat, Oct 10, 1 pm | Change | Band now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central | 192 | 170 | −22 | Unhealthy |
| West | 187 | 159 | −28 | Unhealthy |
| East | 168 | 153 | −15 | Unhealthy |
| South | 166 | 132 | −34 | Unhealthy |
| North | 136 | 121 | −15 | Unhealthy |
For comparison, the central reading was 137 at 7 pm on Thursday, October 8, The Online Citizen reported, so even after Saturday’s dip it is 33 points above Thursday evening, by our calculation. The 24-hour PSI is an average over the previous day, so it moves more slowly than the hourly PM2.5 figure. The highest hourly PM2.5 reading of the year, 171 micrograms per cubic metre, was recorded in the west at 2 am on Friday, according to The Online Citizen.
NEA forecast showers on Saturday and Sunday but said winds could keep bringing smoke from southern Sumatra and Kalimantan, warning of a “continued risk of severe transboundary haze”. The Singapore Grand Prix weekend is under way, and organisers have contingency plans that include N95 masks and medical assistance, The Online Citizen reported, citing CNA.
| If the 24-hour PSI… | What Singapore will do |
|---|---|
| Crosses 200 (very unhealthy) | Next tier of action: N95 masks handed out by People’s Association grassroots groups and vending machines, and air-conditioned haze shelters at community clubs |
| Is in the very unhealthy range | Preschools stop outdoor and strenuous indoor activities; Home Team suspends fitness tests and outdoor training |
| Is forecast to exceed 300 (hazardous) the next day | Ministry of Education will consider closing schools, as it did in 2015 |
| Now (unhealthy) | Schools keep students indoors in ventilated spaces with air purifiers; outdoor activities cancelled; exams continue indoors |
Malaysia: Johor worsens as Melaka and Selangor ease
The table compares the areas that were above 180 on Friday afternoon with Saturday morning’s readings, both from the Department of Environment and reported by Malay Mail. The readings were taken at different times of day, so the comparison is a guide rather than a like-for-like measure. The change column is our calculation.
| Area | State | Fri, Oct 9, 2 pm | Sat, Oct 10, 10 am | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batu Pahat | Johor | 172 | 190 | +18 |
| Tangkak | Johor | 184 | 186 | +2 |
| Larkin | Johor | 180 | 185 | +5 |
| Pasir Gudang | Johor | 188 | 184 | −4 |
| Seremban | Negeri Sembilan | 189 | 183 | −6 |
| Segamat | Johor | 184 | 181 | −3 |
| Nilai | Negeri Sembilan | 182 | 179 | −3 |
| Bukit Rambai | Melaka | 187 | 175 | −12 |
| Tasek Ipoh | Perak | 183 | 174 | −9 |
| Melaka City | Melaka | 182 | 173 | −9 |
| Johan Setia | Selangor | 183 | 165 | −18 |
By our count, six areas were above 180 at 10 am on Saturday, all in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, compared with nine at 2 pm on Friday. Johor had eight of the 33 unhealthy areas, and Kuching and Samarahan in Sarawak were also in the unhealthy range, according to Malay Mail. No area was in the very unhealthy range.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek ordered whole-school closures in four states and two federal territories on Friday, plus a partial closure in Pahang, AFP reported. “In the future, we will ensure that any decision to close schools is notified in advance,” she said, after parents complained of short notice. In Perak, Malay Mail said on Friday that it was under review whether the Tasek Ipoh reading of 183 would lead to school closures.
| Indicator | Week 39 | Week 40 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper respiratory tract infections | 3,509 | 3,875 | +10.43% |
| Conjunctivitis | 102 | 129 | +26.47% |
| Asthma | 535 | 462 | −13.64% |
The Health Ministry advised people, especially children, the elderly and those with lung or heart conditions, to avoid or postpone outdoor activities and to wear suitable masks such as N95s if they must be outside, Malay Mail reported.
The source: fires in Indonesia
Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry recorded 1,176 high-confidence hotspots nationwide as of Wednesday night, including 225 in Central Kalimantan and 224 in South Sumatra, where the count had jumped from 71 a day earlier, The Edge Malaysia reported. The ministry said 61 aircraft had been deployed, 44 of them for water bombing. Anwar said Prabowo “agreed to take the necessary steps” but gave no details, and he asked Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan to seek an urgent meeting of ASEAN environment ministers, AFP reported. Malaysia is also increasing cloud seeding. Our earlier report: Haze closes schools in Malaysia as Singapore’s PSI turns unhealthy.
What to watch
- Which Malaysian districts close schools on Monday, October 12, under the three-day rule for readings above 150.
- Whether showers on Saturday and Sunday bring Singapore’s PSI below 100, or whether it crosses 200 and triggers the next tier of measures.
- Conditions for the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.
- Whether ASEAN environment ministers meet, and what Indonesia announces on the fires.
What it means
Saturday’s dip is real but small. Every part of Singapore and 33 areas of Malaysia are still in the unhealthy range, and in Johor several readings rose between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Weather, not policy, is driving the short-term changes: showers can clean the air for a day, but as long as hotspots burn in Sumatra and Kalimantan and the winds blow north, the haze can return. For families in Malaysia, the practical question is Monday’s school list, which depends on three days of readings rather than a single bad day.
Sources
- data.gov.sg (National Environment Agency): PSI readings, October 10, 2026, 1 pm
- data.gov.sg (National Environment Agency): PSI readings, October 9, 2026, 7 pm
- The Online Citizen: Singapore convenes Haze Task Force as PSI hits season high of 192 ahead of F1 weekend
- The Online Citizen: Singapore haze hits 2026 high as PSI edges towards very unhealthy range on F1 weekend
- Malay Mail: API reaches unhealthy levels in 33 areas across Malaysia by 10am
- Malay Mail: Haze worsens in Malaysia: Nine areas breach 180 API, Seremban still the worst at 189
- Malay Mail: Haze sees Malaysian respiratory infections rise 10.43pc, conjunctivitis 26.47pc
- AFP, via The Manila Times: Haze prompts school closures in Malaysia
- The Edge Malaysia: Red skies, thick haze shroud Kalimantan as Indonesia records 1,176 hotspots
The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
