Haze caused by forest and land fires in Indonesia has reportedly begun affecting parts of Malaysia, with smoke drifting across the border depending on prevailing wind conditions.
Indonesia’s Environment Minister and head of the Environmental Control Agency, Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, said the haze had moved towards Malaysia as wind directions continued to shift.
“Coincidentally, the wind is blowing in that direction, but it often changes back and forth,” he said.
Jumhur explained that cross-border haze movement is heavily influenced by weather conditions, particularly wind direction and patterns. As these patterns change, smoke drifting towards Malaysia could also shift direction.
Indonesia had earlier stepped up preparations for potential forest and land fires throughout 2026. Data from the country’s Ministry of Environment and Environmental Control Agency showed that more than 32,000 hectares of land had been affected by fires up to February, with Sumatra and Kalimantan among the worst-hit areas.
Weather conditions have also raised concerns, with the El Nino phenomenon expected to persist until early 2027. The phenomenon could bring drier conditions, potentially increasing the risk of forest and land fires.
To reduce the threat, Indonesia has implemented several preventive measures, including wetting peatland areas and carrying out weather modification operations to help control fires.
Cross-border haze is a longstanding issue in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam and Thailand working through regional mechanisms under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
Indonesia hosted a ministerial-level meeting on transboundary haze pollution in Bali last July. During the meeting, Jumhur stressed the importance of regional cooperation in tackling forest and land fires, particularly as changing weather patterns continue to increase fire risks.
Malaysia has also stepped up preparedness for hot and dry weather conditions, as well as the potential haze associated with open burning and forest fires.
