Timor-Leste Shuts Schools as Indonesian Wildfires Blanket Region with Hazardous Haze
October 15, 2026
Timor-Leste has suspended face-to-face schooling for three days and advised families to keep children indoors and limit indoor exposure during the haze period, as air quality worsens.
A thick haze from Indonesian wildfires dimmed skies in Palangkaraya and prompted East Timor to close schools for three days, with residents reporting worsened air quality and health discomfort.
Greenpeace named First Resources (Singapore) and asserted the company maintains a strict zero-burning policy.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto called for tougher sanctions on slash-and-burn farming, labeling the practice ecological terrorism.
Slash-and-burn land clearing and peatland fires are major contributors to the haze across Borneo and Sumatra, with the dry season typically spanning April to October.
Authorities suspended operating licenses of 26 companies linked to wildfires and opened investigations; police indicated 223 individuals and nine companies could face action, and more than 60,000 personnel were deployed for firefighting.
The Indonesian environment ministry has rated the health risk from the haze in Central Kalimantan as dangerous, the highest level on its five-tier scale.
Singapore is experiencing persistent smog despite some rainfall, leading to public health precautions such as stocking up on face masks and phased government distribution to vulnerable groups.
The haze impact extends beyond Indonesia, with regional health warnings and protective measures affecting multiple Southeast Asian countries.
El Niño-driven dry conditions are fueling a severe wildfire season in Indonesia, causing widespread haze across parts of Indonesia and neighboring Southeast Asian states.
El Niño-fueled dry conditions have intensified Indonesia’s wildfire season, leading to over 1,043,377 wildfire hotspots and about 900,000 hectares burned, according to Nusantara Atlas.
Summary based on 2 sources
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Sources

NewsCord • Oct 15, 2026
Indonesia Wildfires Spread Toxic Haze, Forcing East Timor School Closures
NHK WORLD • Oct 15, 2026
Wildfire haze causes health risk in Southeast Asia