> Quick view: Transboundary haze has returned to Malaysia. As of 8am on 8 August 2026, five Sarawak areas were in the "unhealthy" API band — Serian 171 (the highest nationwide), Kuching 154, Samarahan 154, Sri Aman 139 and Bintulu 124 — and the count rose further as the day went on. The smoke is blowing in from fires in Kalimantan. Here's what the numbers mean and how to stay safe.

What's happening

Malaysia's Department of Environment (DOE) tracks air quality hourly through the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS), drawing on 68 monitoring stations nationwide. On the morning of 8 August 2026, western Sarawak slipped into the unhealthy range, with Serian the worst-hit at an API of 171. Kuching and Samarahan followed at 154 each, with Sri Aman and Bintulu close behind.

Because APIMS updates every hour, the picture shifts through the day — the number of affected areas climbed during the morning, and Peninsular hotspots such as Johan Setia in Selangor have historically crept into the unhealthy band during bad haze episodes too. Always check the live reading for your own area rather than relying on a single snapshot.

Why it's hazy

This is transboundary haze. The regional haze map identified 643 fire hotspots in Kalimantan, plus 17 in Sumatra and 25 within Malaysia (22 of them in Sarawak). Moderate-to-thick smoke plumes over West Kalimantan have been drifting north into western Sarawak — which is why Borneo, not the Peninsula, is bearing the brunt this round.

What the API numbers mean

Malaysia's Air Pollutant Index uses these bands:

  • 0–50 — Good
  • 51–100 — Moderate
  • 101–200 — Unhealthy
  • 201–300 — Very Unhealthy
  • 301 and above — Hazardous

An API in the 101–200 "unhealthy" range can affect everyone to some degree, and hits vulnerable groups hardest — young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and anyone with asthma, other respiratory conditions or heart problems.

What the authorities are doing

DOE has activated the National Open Burning Action Plan and National Haze Action Plan. Under the standard playbook:

  • Cloud-seeding operations may be carried out where the API stays above 150 for more than 24 hours, if suitable clouds are present.
  • Schools typically halt outdoor activities once the API passes 100, with full closures triggered at API 200.
  • Open burning is illegal, carrying a minimum RM25,000 fine or up to five years' jail. Report open burning to Bomba at 999 or the DOE toll-free line 1-800-88-2727.

How to protect your family

  • Check live readings before heading out — the official APIMS website or the MyJAS EQMS app, both updated hourly.
  • Limit outdoor exertion, especially for children, the elderly and those with respiratory or heart conditions.
  • Wear an N95/KN95 mask outdoors — an ordinary surgical or cloth mask does little against fine haze particles (PM2.5).
  • Keep windows and doors closed; run an air purifier if you have one, and set air-conditioning to recirculate.
  • Stay hydrated and watch for symptoms — persistent cough, breathlessness, eye or throat irritation. Seek medical help if they worsen.

*Air quality readings are from Malaysia's official APIMS system and update hourly, so figures will have changed since publication — always check the live reading for your area.*

*Cover image: Benjy8769, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons*