Recurrent haze in Southeast Asian countries including Singapore is largely attributable to rampant forest fires in Indonesia due to the slash-and-burn (S & B) culture. The S & B method involves the felling of trees and plants, followed by setting fire to the designated area. Due to the high efficiency and low cost, S & B has been adopted in a number of developing nations. Although prevalent across the globe, the practice of S & B is particularly rampant in Indonesia. Consequently, neighboring Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand are negatively affected by S & B techniques in Indonesia.
The 2015 Southeast Asian haze is an air pollution crisis affecting several countries in Southeast Asia, including Brunei, Indonesia (especially its islands of Sumatra and Borneo), Malaysia, Singapore, southern Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines.