Residents of Denpasar noticed the sky over the city looked hazier than usual and concluded that smoke from the forest fires in Kalimantan had reached Bali.
According to the weather agency's satellite images, the smog that has blanketed Malaysia and Singapore is not reaching the island.
Last week the smoke briefly reached Jakarta. During the dry season, easterly winds blow across Indonesia, carrying smoke from Kalimantan west and north-west, away from Bali.
Denpasar's air quality index did climb to “unhealthy” levels during these days. Bali's disaster management agency suggests local sources may be to blame: power plants and vehicle exhaust.
Forests and peatlands in Kalimantan and Sumatra have been burning for months. In mid-October, the largest of the fires still being fought was found in Tanjung Puting National Park, where tourists go to see orangutans. The fire there covered more than 500 hectares.
Since 11 August, poor visibility has led to 2458 domestic flights being delayed, cancelled or rescheduled at airports in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua. Bali is not on that list.
The weather agency expects rain in the coming weeks, and the risk of fires should gradually decrease.
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