Singapore experts say 2015 haze crisis unlikely to repeat in 2026 as El Nino arrives later

Singapore experts say a repeat of the 2015 haze crisis is unlikely in 2026, despite ongoing fires in Indonesia, because this year's El Nino began later, reducing its overlap with the dry season. Since August, haze from Indonesian forest fires has affected Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The 2015 crisis saw Singapore's air quality reach hazardous levels, forcing school closures and causing half a million respiratory infections in Indonesia. Experts note the 2026 El Nino started around June versus April in 2015, and burned land is far less than 2015's 2.6 million hectares. Fires are primarily caused by agricultural land clearing, though firefighting budgets have shrunk this year.