Clear and present danger
Cigarette butts andcharcoal stoves some ofthe causes of recent blazes
Ong Dai Lin, Today Online 24 Feb 09;
WOULD bushfires similar to those in Australia ever happen in Singapore?
In releasing figures that showed that, just two months into the new year, some 339 bushfires have already been reported, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is “concerned” and mindful of the possibility” of such an occurrence, said Colonel Anwar Abdullah, director of its Operations Department.
That is why there is a Wildfire Task Force Committee to look into the maintenance of the island’s forested area, he said, with the National Parks Board and Singapore Land Authority “engaged” to ensure that Singapore’s vegetated area is well-kept within a safe limit and being attended to.
The SCDF also said that in January, there were 182 such fires — the highest number for that month in a decade. Dry weather aside, almost all the fires were caused by a “dropped light” — the careless disposal of flammable items such as lit cigarette butts, matches and even charcoal stoves.
The SCDF also said that other measures taken to prevent bushfires include the creation of “land buffers” — areas that have been trimmed in a way that prevents any fire from spreading.
It has also extended existing hydrant main systems into large vegetated areas for firefighters to access water more conveniently when fighting a fire.
And though bushfires have occurred all over Singapore, SCDF said some parts are more prone to them because of greater areas of unbuilt and forested lands there.
The Tampines Expressway, Punggol Way, Punggol Field, Sengkang, Durban Road, Yishun Ring Road, Yishun Ring Avenue, Woodlands and Marsiling have emerged as leading hotspots. The Kranji Expressway, SungeiTengah Road and Tampines IndustrialAvenues 1 and 12 are also susceptible areas.
95% of vegetation fires to date caused by human-related activities
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid/Janice Ng, Channel NewsAsia 23 Feb 09;
SINGAPORE : Dry and windy weather conditions are not entirely to blame for the 339 vegetation fires so far this year.
In January, a record of 182 vegetation fires were attended to - the highest for that month in the last 10 years.
In February alone, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has responded to another 157 fires.
It said some 95 per cent or 321 cases were caused by human-related activities.
In the aftermath of a recent fire at Bukit Batok, investigators found cigarette butts and combustible items illegally dumped in the area.
Over at Sengkang East Drive recently, officers found discarded rubbish and a charcoal stove while fighting a fire - the size of two football fields. Such items provided an additional source of fuel for the fires to sustain further.
With February known to be the driest month of the year, SCDF is urging the public to be proactive to reduce such fires.
The public should avoid throwing lighted materials or matches onto grass patches or rubbish dumps. Homeowners with grass compounds should also keep grass trimmed and watered, while dead leaves should be properly disposed.
Incense papers should only be burnt in proper burners and not constructed illegally in the forested areas.
According to the SCDF, there are currently 11 hotspots where vegetation fires are likely to occur frequently. These include forested and vacant areas at Sungei Tengah Road, Tampines Industrial Avenue 1 and Lim Chu Kang Lane 6.
The SCDF has also been working with related agencies to adopt preventive measures at the respective lands under their jurisdiction.
It has also set up two dry hydrant systems to provide water supply at other hotspots such as Tampines Avenue 12 and Fort Road. - CNA /ls
Carelessness behind 95% of bush fires
Cigarette butts, stoves and altar candles spell trouble for firefighters
Esther Tan, Straits Times 24 Feb 09
BLAME man for the record number of bush fires here this year.
Blame careless smokers who toss lit cigarette butts into vegetation.
Blame those who leave behind lit candles and burnt offerings at makeshift altars.
Blame those who decide to cook out in the open using charcoal stoves.
They accounted for 95 per cent of the 339 bush fires so far this year.
There were 182 such fires last month, compared to 24 in January last year, a 'very alarming' situation, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
Unthinking actions, coupled with the dry season, have resulted in a huge waste of firefighting resources, said the SCDF's director of operations, Colonel Anwar Abdullah.
The remaining 5 per cent of bush fires are caused naturally - when dry grass rub and trigger sparks, leading to spontaneous combustion, or when they are hit by lightning.
How easy it is to put out a fire depends on the thickness of the vegetation, the gradient of the land and how windy it is.
The more an area is covered in vegetation, the more deep-seated is the fire, said Col Anwar.
If it is burning on a hill, that also makes it tougher for firemen, as they have to haul water hoses up the slope, he said.
It could take an hour to bring under control a fire that has spread over an area the size of two or three football fields.
The SCDF has drawn up a list of more than 15 'hot spots' for bush fires.
The 'hottest' areas encompass Punggol Way, Punggol Field and Sengkang, and stretch along the Tampines Expressway near Punggol Road. The expressway area near Punggol Way and Punggol Field has been scorched 38 times.
But even confined strips of vegetation located on expressway road dividers, along the Kranji Expressway for example, have been razed by fire.
Col Anwar said the SCDF has been working with government agencies such as National Parks Board, the HDB and the Singapore Land Authority to put in place measures to curb the spread of bush fires.
The SCDF is looking at extending the existing hydrant main systems into large vegetated areas to shorten the distance between bush fires and the water supplies needed to put them out for firefighters.
In addition, it has created land buffers - by trimming short the vegetation - along the periphery of some residential areas, near forests, to prevent the spread of fires.
But the cause of fire by human activities remains the main concern of the SCDF.
It advises the public to avoid throwing lighted materials, such as cigarette butts and matches, on grass patches and fields.
It also warns against dumping trash on vacant land, as this can provide an additional source of fuel in the event of a fire.
