Channel NewsAsia 11 Feb 10;
SINGAPORE : The National Environment Agency (NEA) has said that smoke from bush fires in parts of Singapore may be responsible for the burning smell detected in some areas.
In an email response to MediaCorp, it said drier conditions over the past few days have caused some bush fires.
However, as the bush fires were not large, the smoke did not affect the PSI readings adversely over the past few days. The air quality has remained in the 'Good' range since the start of the month.
NEA also said that hotspot activities have been generally subdued in Sumatra and Borneo over the past few days.
The prevailing winds have been generally blowing from the north or northeast. So any smoke from Sumatra or Borneo would not be blown towards Singapore.
With the prevailing northeasterly winds likely to persist, NEA said Singapore will not be affected by transboundary haze pollution over the next few days.
It said Singapore is typically affected by the dry phase of the northeast monsoon between February and late March. During this period, Singapore may experience lower rainfall and fewer days of rain. - CNA/ms
