Fighting Wildfire Haze ‘Like in a Horror Movie’ With Saltwater

By the Editorial Team · Friday, September 11, 2026

Prolonged wildfires in Indonesia have caused severe haze in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, leading to hazardous air quality levels and a state of emergency in parts of the region. In response, the Malaysian government conducted cloud seeding operations to induce rainfall and temporarily improve conditions, but officials warn that lasting relief depends on controlling the Indonesian fires.

KUCHING, Malaysia — Prolonged wildfires in Indonesia have triggered a severe haze crisis across parts of Southeast Asia, with the Malaysian state of Sarawak among the hardest hit outside of Indonesia. Residents in the capital, Kuching, have resorted to wearing face masks outdoors, installing air purifiers at home, and sealing windows in response to the thick smog that has blanketed the region for weeks.

According to monitoring data from IQAir, Kuching’s Air Quality Index (AQI) recently surged to 457, classified as hazardous and well above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s threshold of 50 for “good” air quality. Nearby, the town of Serian, close to the Indonesian border, declared a state of emergency after recording an AQI of 832, prompting authorities to urge residents to minimize outdoor activities.

In an effort to mitigate the haze, the Malaysian government has allocated more than $100,000 to cloud seeding operations aimed at inducing rainfall in parts of Sarawak. On a recent mission, accessed by reporters, a Royal Malaysian Air Force Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules aircraft carried out cloud seeding near the border with Indonesia. The plane was equipped with four large tanks containing a mixture of water and salt—substances intended to encourage the formation and growth of raindrops within clouds.

The cloud seeding team, composed of air force personnel, meteorologists, and disaster management officials, sought clouds meeting specific criteria: approximately four miles tall and five miles wide. Officials utilized satellite images, GPS, and onboard weather radar to locate suitable targets. Once identified, the aircraft released the saltwater solution into the clouds by spraying from its tanks while circling within their lower portions.

The mission, lasting around four hours, culminated near the Batang Ai dam, located roughly 10 miles from the Indonesian border. Sarawak Energy, the utility operating the dams, reported receiving light rain for several hours following the operation. However, experts caution that cloud seeding provides only temporary relief. Meteorologist Stellios Plainiotis, based in Kuala Lumpur, noted that while rain can briefly improve air quality, long-term solutions depend on controlling the wildfires across Indonesian Borneo. Indoor air filtration remains important for protecting public health amid persistent haze.

Following the cloud seeding efforts, the state of emergency in Serian was lifted as AQI levels temporarily improved on Monday but rose again to hazardous levels by Tuesday. Meanwhile, local businesses have felt the haze’s economic impact. Elaine Sim, owner of an immigration services agency in Kuching, said she had to close her office during early September due to the poor air quality, underscoring the broader social and economic disruption caused by the ongoing fires and haze.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.