A noticeable smoke haze is currently affecting the Negros Island Region, with the phenomenon becoming particularly pronounced in La Castellana. What may initially appear to be ordinary mist or fog should not be taken lightly.
Air-quality monitoring has indicated that some areas of Negros have reached unhealthy levels, prompting the Environmental Management Bureau–Negros Island Region to advise residents to wear well-fitting masks and limit outdoor exposure, particularly those with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory conditions.
The haze is being attributed primarily to transboundary smoke from forest and land fires in Indonesia, particularly in Kalimantan. Prevailing atmospheric winds, including those associated with the southwest monsoon, can transport smoke and fine particulate matter across vast distances, allowing pollution generated in Indonesia to affect air quality in the Philippines.
Elevated concentrations of PM2.5 — extremely fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream—have been detected in affected areas.
The regional nature of this problem is worth emphasizing. Indonesia’s recurring forest and land fires have long affected neighboring countries.
Singapore, for example, has repeatedly experienced severe haze episodes originating from Indonesia.
Much of the smoke affecting Singapore, on the other hand, has historically been associated with fires in Indonesia’s extensive peatlands, particularly the peat bogs of South Sumatra, where drained and dried peat can burn intensely and persistently. These fires can produce enormous amounts of thick smoke because peat burns underground and may continue smoldering even after surface flames disappear.
The same broader phenomenon can affect Philippines when atmospheric conditions carry Indonesian smoke eastward. Areas of Mindanao and the Visayas, and, at times, even portions of Luzon and Metro Manila, experience deteriorating air quality when smoke from Indonesian fires becomes sufficiently widespread and winds favor its transport.
This demonstrates an important reality: air pollution is not confined by national boundaries.
The Indonesian fires have several underlying causes.
Human activity is considered a major trigger, particularly the use of fire to clear land for agriculture and plantations. Forest clearing and activities associated with palm-oil development can ignite vegetation and peatlands.
The problem becomes particularly serious when peatlands are drained for development. Once exposed to prolonged dry conditions, peat loses moisture and becomes highly combustible.
Unlike ordinary vegetation fires, peat fires can smolder underground for long periods, making them extremely difficult and costly to extinguish.
Dry weather can greatly intensify the situation. During strong El Niño conditions, higher temperatures and reduced rainfall can cause vegetation and peatlands to become exceptionally dry.
These conditions allow fires to spread more rapidly and make firefighting substantially more difficult. The combination of human-caused ignition, land-use practices, dry peatlands, and unfavorable weather, therefore, creates a potentially dangerous cycle of recurring fires and prolonged haze.
Indonesian authorities have undertaken large-scale and coordinated firefighting operations involving government agencies, military and police units, firefighters, local governments, and community volunteers. Their efforts include ground suppression, hotspot verification, patrols, surveillance, and “mopping up” operations to prevent fires from reigniting.
Authorities have also deployed water-bombing aircraft and helicopters and have used satellite monitoring to identify hotspots and track fire activity. Cloud-seeding or weather-modification operations may also be employed where conditions permit.
Companies whose concession areas contain fires are being investigated, with officials warning that those found responsible could face serious sanctions, including the revocation of permits.
For residents of La Castellana, however, the immediate priority should be protecting health. When the haze becomes thick, people should remain indoors as much as possible and postpone strenuous outdoor activities, particularly farm work.
When going outdoors is unavoidable, a properly fitted N95, KN95, or equivalent particulate-filtering mask provides significantly better protection against PM2.5 than an ordinary cloth mask.
Windows and doors should be kept closed when outdoor air quality is poor. Residents should also avoid burning leaves, agricultural wastes, or other materials that can add more smoke to the atmosphere. Exposure to vehicle exhaust and other sources of air pollution should likewise be minimized.
Children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with asthma or heart and lung conditions should exercise particular caution. Residents should regularly monitor official AQI and PM2.5 advisories from EMB-NIR and local authorities.
Anyone experiencing persistent coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest pain, dizziness, or worsening respiratory symptoms should seek medical attention promptly.
The haze will eventually improve when atmospheric conditions change and rainfall helps remove suspended particles.
But as long as large-scale fires continue in Indonesia, Negros residents should regard the haze as a genuine air-quality and public-health concern.
What is happening in La Castellana is also a reminder that environmental problems in Southeast Asia are interconnected.
From the peatlands of South Sumatra and the forests of Kalimantan to the communities of Negros, smoke can travel across borders.
Protecting our air, therefore, requires not only local vigilance but also stronger regional cooperation in preventing forest and peatland fires at their source. | NWI
