Air pollution is blanketing parts of Southeast Asia this week. It's a familiar problem, but this year, the timing is especially challenging.
Singapore's air is officially “unhealthy” today.
That's according to the Pollutant Standards Index — an internationally recognized measure that's a 24-hour rolling average of six key air quality indicators.
The guidance from Singapore's National Environment Agency is that a reading of this level means that even people who are healthy should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity.
It's a tricky time for Singapore, which is scheduled to host the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix this weekend.
In neighboring Malaysia, schools in one of the country's largest states will be closed for the rest of the week because of air pollution.
It's all due to smoke and haze from Indonesia — largely caused by fires set purposely to clear land for farming.
This is not a new issue, it's been going on for years.
But the intensity of the fires and the extent of the haze over the past two months is the worst in more than a decade, complicated by El Nino conditions.
Another El Nino impact: rainy season is expected to be later than usual this year, which means the unhealthy haze could be a regional issue through October or early November.
