SINGAPORE, July 28 — Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia face a moderate risk of a severe transboundary haze occurrence for the remainder of the year, according to an assessment released Monday by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, reported Xinhua.

The latest report marks an increase from the institute’s 2024 assessment, which rated the risk as “low” on its three-tier scale of low, medium, and high.

Hike in agricultural prices and the increased rate of deforestation have heightened the risk of fires and haze, the report stated, which in turn points towards a surge in hotspots and smoke haze across parts of Sumatra in mid-July this year.

As a consequence, the transboundary haze is anticipated to drift from central Sumatra into parts of Peninsular Malaysia.

Economic and policy shifts could also inadvertently drive deforestation and increase haze risk if fire continues to be used for land clearing, the report warned.

Looking further ahead, climate trends suggest the possibility of another unusually dry season between 2027 and 2030, which could further exacerbate haze risks. — Bernama-Xinhua