Southeast Asia Air Quality Alert

Is the air quality good in Southeast Asia?

On October 17, 2026, air quality across Southeast Asia remains poor, with some of the major cities experiencing air quality in the "unhealthy" to"very unhealthy", range driven by PM2.5 as the dominant pollutant from transboundary wildfire smoke, posing serious health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly.

By midday (local time), several urban centers have recorded AQI readings between 100 and 250, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors.

Air quality map of Southeast Asia as of midday (local time) on October 17, 2026. Source: IQAir.

Which cities or areas are affected by bad air quality in Southeast Asia?

As of October 17, 2026, several major cities across Southeast Asia are reporting poor air quality. Some of the affected cities include:

• Indonesia: Depok, Jakarta, Medan, Palembang, Pekanbaru, Pontianak
• Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Klang, Kuching, Kuala Selangor, Petaling Jaya
• Singapore: Singapore

Air quality conditions can change throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels across the region, see Southeast Asia air quality map.

Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Medan ranked among the most polluted major cities globally, as of noon (local time) on October 17, 2026. Source: IQAir.

When will air quality improve in Southeast Asia?

Singapore’s National Environment Agency has not set a date for conditions to improve, with dry conditions continuing over parts of southern ASEAN, keeping the risk of wildfires and transboundary haze elevated over the coming days. Meaningful regional improvement depends on the onset of the northeast monsoon season, expected in late October to November, which will bring more sustained rainfall across the region (1).

What is causing poor air quality in Southeast Asia?

Air quality across Southeast Asia is worsening due to Indonesia’s most intense wildfire season in 11 years, with forest and peatland fires burning across Sumatra and Kalimantan since early September. Prolonged dry conditions associated with strong El Niño conditions have increased wildfire risks, while prevailing winds carry smoke toward Singapore and Malaysia, worsening regional haze (2).

How can I protect myself from poor air quality?

• Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
• Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
• Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
• Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
• Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.