Al Jazeera · Climate · 2026-09-01
Toxic haze from Indonesian fires chokes Malaysian Borneo
Toxic haze from Indonesian fires chokes Malaysian Borneo. Respiratory illnesses surge in Malaysia as hazardous air settles over Sarawak. Smoke from forest and peatland fires burning across Indonesia has pushed air quality to hazardous levels. It is the region’s worst haze episode since 2015, when fires in Indonesia exposed tens of millions of people to toxic smoke and caused more than 500,000 people to suffer respiratory ailments. Respiratory illnesses surge as smoke settles over Malaysia's Sarawak in the region's worst haze crisis in a decade.
Why it matters. Transboundary haze events severely threaten public health, strain healthcare systems, and highlight the urgent need for regional environmental cooperation.
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