Disclosure: I bought my Xiaomi and Europace with my own money, and the Daikin was a gift from a friend. No brand has sent me anything in this post, and it isn’t sponsored. It may contain affiliate links to Shopee and Lazada; if you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions here are my own, based on my own use and research.
We have a new infant at home. Just weeks old at the time of this post, lungs still developing, and spending most of her day asleep in our bedroom. And outside, the haze has been getting worse, week after week.
That combination made me think about the air at home more than I ever have. I kept wondering what the haze could be doing to her, and what I could actually do about it.
The haze in Singapore is back, and this year it’s not a light one. On 4 September, Singapore’s 24-hour PSI crossed into the Unhealthy range for the first time since October 2023. It’s only gotten worse since. On 9 October, it peaked at 192 in the central region, not far off the Very Unhealthy mark of 201, and as of 13 October it was still in the Unhealthy range across the island.
With a newborn and a toddler at home, that changes things. This is the second post in my newborn series, after my baby night light setup. It covers what’s causing the haze, why it matters more for little ones, and why an air purifier has become a must-have in our Singapore home this haze season, including the three already running. If you’re shopping for one, my air purifier Singapore buying guide picks up where this post leaves off, and it’s coming right up.
What’s Causing the 2026 Haze in Singapore?
The short version: fires in our neighbours’ backyard, and the wind blowing the smoke our way.
According to NEA’s updates, the smoke comes from fires in Kalimantan and southern Sumatra, where dry weather has kept the hotspots burning. When the prevailing winds blow from the southeast or south, they carry that smoke haze straight to Singapore. A shower here or there helps, but as long as the region stays dry and the winds don’t change, the risk stays. And the Meteorological Service doesn’t expect the dry season to end until late October or early November.
This year was flagged early, too. The Singapore Institute of International Affairs gave its 2026 Haze Outlook a rare Red rating, only the second since the outlook began in 2019, and marked August to September as the peak danger period. We’re now in the middle of October, and it hasn’t let up.