Philippines and Malaysia Tourism Faces Haze Disruption as Indonesia Fires Trigger Pollution Alerts

Written By: Jishnoo Banerjee

Jishnoo Banerjee

A published author with over 9 years of experience in writing, poetry, and novel creation. Starting out on social media, Jishnoo gained recognition for engaging content in both English and Bengali. With a strong background as a news content writer, Jishnoo now contributes to a prestigious global travel magazine. Known for blending creative writing with journalism, the work seamlessly combines artistic expression with insightful reporting across different platforms.

See Full Bio

September 1, 2026 10:25 AM |

Image generated with Ai

A worsening haze episode is putting parts of Southeast Asia on alert as smoke associated with fires in Indonesia spreads across the region, contributing to deteriorating air quality and prompting authorities to introduce precautionary measures.

In the Philippines, Quezon City suspended face-to-face classes in all public schools on 1 September 2026 after its air-monitoring network recorded pollution ranging from very unhealthy to acutely unhealthy levels.

The city government said the deterioration could possibly be connected with smoke or haze associated with ongoing fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, while advising residents to reduce outdoor exposure and wear masks.

Malaysia is also monitoring deteriorating conditions, particularly in Sarawak, where officials have been preparing possible cloud-seeding operations as smoke from Indonesian fires contributes to regional haze concerns.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has separately confirmed that high-confidence hotspots remain concentrated in Kalimantan, with additional hotspots in Sumatra, Papua and Maluku. Satellite observations have also detected smoke in several areas.

For travellers and the tourism industry, the developing situation reinforces the importance of monitoring air-quality advisories alongside conventional weather forecasts when travelling through affected parts of Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia Haze Situation at a Glance

Why Did Quezon City Suspend Face-to-Face Classes?

Quezon City authorities suspended in-person teaching after the city’s air-quality monitoring network detected pollution at levels considered potentially harmful to health.

The suspension covered public Child Development Centers, Kindergarten, Grades 1 to 12 and the Alternative Learning System.

Instead of requiring students to attend classrooms, public schools were instructed to use alternative learning arrangements.

Private schools and higher education institutions were allowed to make their own decisions, although authorities encouraged them to consider local conditions when determining whether in-person activities should continue.

Quezon City operates 68 air-quality sensors across different parts of the city, providing officials with localised information on pollution conditions.

The readings on 1 September ranged from very unhealthy to acutely unhealthy, creating sufficient concern for the local government to act.

Is Indonesian Haze Responsible for the Philippines Pollution?

The connection needs to be reported carefully.

Quezon City authorities said current assessments indicated that increased air pollution affecting parts of the Philippines, including the National Capital Region, could possibly be associated with smoke or haze from fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

That is different from establishing the Indonesian fires as the sole cause of every elevated pollution reading.

Air quality can be influenced by numerous factors, including local emissions and atmospheric conditions.

However, Indonesian authorities have independently confirmed an active fire and smoke situation.

BMKG’s satellite monitoring on 31 August identified high-confidence hotspots across several Indonesian regions, with the greatest concentration in Kalimantan.

Smoke was also detected in several areas, and BMKG warned that it could spread towards surrounding regions depending on prevailing winds.

What Is Happening in Kalimantan?

Kalimantan is receiving particular attention because of the concentration of hotspots detected there.

Indonesia entered early September with hot and relatively dry conditions continuing across significant areas.

Dry weather can increase the risk of forest and land fires, particularly when vegetation and other combustible material lose moisture.

BMKG said satellite observations showed high-confidence hotspots concentrated mainly in Kalimantan, followed by Sumatra and parts of Papua and Maluku.

The agency also reported that smoke remained visible across several locations.

Wind becomes crucial once smoke enters the atmosphere.

Depending on direction and speed, haze can remain relatively localised or travel considerably farther, creating air-quality problems beyond the immediate fire zone.

This cross-border potential is what makes major Indonesian fire episodes particularly important to neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.

Why Is Malaysia Monitoring the Situation?

Malaysia has experienced recurring episodes of transboundary haze associated with fires elsewhere in the region, making air-quality monitoring particularly important when Indonesian hotspots intensify.

Sarawak, on the island of Borneo, has been among the areas experiencing deteriorating conditions during the latest episode.

Officials have been preparing for possible cloud-seeding operations in early September as part of the response.

Cloud seeding is intended to encourage rainfall when suitable atmospheric conditions exist.

Rain can temporarily improve air quality by helping remove particulate matter from the atmosphere and can potentially support efforts to reduce fire activity, although results depend heavily on appropriate weather conditions.

The consideration of cloud seeding illustrates the level of concern surrounding the haze situation in Sarawak.

What Does the Haze Mean for Southeast Asia Tourism?

The immediate tourism impact depends on the severity and duration of the haze.

Poor air quality can make outdoor tourism less comfortable and can affect activities ranging from sightseeing and walking tours to outdoor attractions and nature-based travel.

Visibility can also deteriorate during severe haze.

For destinations whose appeal depends heavily on landscapes, city skylines or outdoor recreation, prolonged pollution can reduce the quality of the visitor experience even when airports, hotels and attractions remain operational.

Tour operators should therefore distinguish between an air-quality warning and a formal travel shutdown.

There is currently no basis for suggesting that tourism across the Philippines, Malaysia or Indonesia has stopped because of the haze.

Instead, impacts are localised and can change rapidly according to fires, rainfall and wind.

Could Flights Be Affected by Regional Haze?

Haze does not automatically mean that flights will be cancelled.

Modern commercial aviation operates under defined visibility and safety requirements, and airports and airlines assess actual conditions before making operational decisions.

Nevertheless, extremely poor visibility can potentially affect aviation operations.

Travellers should therefore check directly with their airline when flying through an area experiencing severe haze rather than assuming that a flight will operate normally or be cancelled.

Airports can also remain operational even while ground-level air quality is considered unhealthy.

These are separate issues: air pollution levels affecting public health do not necessarily mean visibility has fallen below aviation operating limits.

For travel professionals, this distinction is important when advising passengers.

What Should Travellers in Quezon City Know?

Visitors in Quezon City and surrounding areas should pay attention to official air-quality information, particularly before planning lengthy outdoor activities.

Local authorities have advised people to wear masks and reduce unnecessary outdoor exposure.

The warning is especially relevant to people who are more vulnerable to air pollution.

Travellers should avoid relying exclusively on what conditions look like from a hotel window.

Fine particulate pollution can reach unhealthy levels even when visibility remains relatively good.

Checking current official air-quality information before outdoor sightseeing is therefore a sensible precaution.

Visitors travelling with children should also be aware that school closures can signal a meaningful deterioration in local environmental conditions even when businesses and transport services remain open.

Could Haze Spread to More Countries?

Transboundary haze is inherently dependent on weather.

Smoke from large forest and land fires can travel considerable distances when atmospheric and wind conditions allow it.

The latest Indonesian assessment confirms that smoke is present and can move towards surrounding areas according to wind patterns.

This does not mean every neighbouring country will experience hazardous pollution.

Rainfall can suppress fires and clear pollutants, while changes in wind direction can move smoke away from populated areas.

Conversely, continued dry weather combined with persistent fires can prolong the episode.

Conditions therefore need to be assessed daily rather than extrapolated from one set of readings.

Why Are Indonesian Forest and Land Fires a Regional Issue?

Indonesia’s geography places major fire-prone areas close enough to neighbouring countries for smoke to become an international environmental problem under certain atmospheric conditions.

Kalimantan shares the island of Borneo with Malaysia and Brunei, while Sumatra lies close to Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.

When extensive smoke combines with winds moving towards neighbouring territories, air pollution can cross national borders.

That creates a challenge requiring more than local firefighting.

Meteorological agencies, environmental authorities, disaster-management organisations and local governments across several countries may need to monitor the same pollution episode.

The current situation again demonstrates why forest and land-fire management in one country can have implications for health, tourism and economic activity across a much larger region.

What Does the Haze Mean for Tour Operators?

Travel businesses should avoid unnecessarily alarming customers while ensuring they receive accurate information about conditions at their destination.

The most useful approach is to monitor local government, meteorological and environmental advisories and adjust outdoor itineraries when air quality deteriorates significantly.

City tours can potentially be shortened or shifted towards indoor attractions when pollution is high.

Travellers undertaking nature-based activities may require more substantial itinerary changes depending on visibility, fire proximity and official access restrictions.

Operators should also communicate clearly that conditions can vary considerably between destinations within the same country.

A haze alert affecting one city or province should not automatically be presented as affecting an entire nation.

Why Does This Matter for Regional Travel?

Southeast Asia depends heavily on cross-border tourism, with travellers frequently combining several countries within one journey.

A typical itinerary may include cities, islands and cultural destinations across multiple markets.

Environmental events that cross national borders therefore create particular challenges for tourism businesses.

A traveller could encounter poor air quality in one destination but completely different conditions after a relatively short flight elsewhere in the region.

This makes real-time information essential.

Travel advisers need to understand not only whether haze exists but where pollution is concentrated, how conditions are changing and whether authorities have imposed specific restrictions.

What Happens Next With the Southeast Asia Haze?

Weather conditions and Indonesia’s ability to control active forest and land fires will be critical to determining how the haze develops during early September.

BMKG expects hot and relatively dry conditions to remain prominent across Indonesia during the first days of the month, although local rainfall remains possible.

That means fire risk remains an issue requiring continued monitoring.

In the Philippines, Quezon City’s suspension of public-school face-to-face classes demonstrates that authorities are prepared to respond when pollution reaches potentially harmful levels.

In Malaysia, preparations for possible cloud seeding in Sarawak show that authorities are also exploring mitigation measures as conditions evolve.

For travellers, there is no justification for treating the whole of Southeast Asia as inaccessible.

The appropriate response is more targeted: check official air-quality information for the specific destination, follow local health guidance, monitor airline communications and remain flexible with outdoor plans.

The current episode is another reminder that regional travel planning increasingly needs to account for environmental conditions alongside weather, transport and conventional destination information. As fires continue in Indonesia, authorities across the Philippines, Malaysia and neighbouring markets will be watching wind, rainfall and air-quality readings closely to determine whether the haze intensifies or begins to clear.