Esther Ng Today Online 9 Sep 11;
SINGAPORE - Singapore could experience hazy conditions in the next few days should fires from razing and logging in the region persist and with winds from the south expected to blow over from Sumatra.
The National Environment Agency yesterday said that hotspots with slight to moderate smoke haze have been detected mainly over the central and southern parts of Sumatra.
The South-west Monsoon season from June to September is the traditional dry season for the region. It is also when logging companies and farmers clear the land by razing it.
The impact of the haze is dependent on factors such as the proximity and extent of the fires, the strength and direction of the prevailing winds and the incidence and amount of rain.
Periods of dry weather, interspersed occasionally with the thundery showers in the afternoon and "Sumatra" squalls in the pre-dawn and early morning, are common and expected during this season.
Singapore's 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index reading as of 4pm yesterday was 47, which was within the good air quality range.
Meanwhile, general practitioners Today spoke to said they have yet to see an increase in the number of patients with breathing difficulties due to the haze.
"It's still early days - I haven't had anyone come in with haze-related health problems yet, maybe when the PSI hits 78 or the hundreds," said Dr Clarence Yeo from Killiney Family & Wellness Clinic.
Chronic asthma sufferers should have their inhalers with them even in the absence of a haze, he added.
And if the haze should get worse, asthmatics should "stay indoors, avoid strenuous outdoor activities and drink lots of water," said Dr Ng Siau Peng from Frontier Healthcare in Ubi.
Madam K Shanti, 77, an asthmatic, told Today that she did not notice the haze at all.
"I'll still go for my morning walks. I always have my inhaler with me," she said.
Last October, the three-hour PSI reading hit a high of 108, which was in the moderate range.
And, while that PSI reading was not near the highest recorded in Singapore on Sept 18, 1997, when it hit 226, it was enough for the inter-agency Haze Task Force to swing into action, and two ministers - former Minister for Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim and former Foreign Minister George Yeo - had registered their concerns with their respective Indonesian counterparts.
Haze set to hit Singapore?
Wayne Chan Channel NewsAsia 8 Sep 11;
SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) said haze could hit Singapore over the next few days, with hotspots in Sumatra increasing to 381 on Thursday.
That's the highest number of hotspots recorded so far this year.
NEA said dry weather conditions in the southern and central parts of Sumatra have led to an increase in hotspots there, over the past few days.
But the winds over Singapore are blowing from the southeast, and are likely to keep the smoke haze away.
However, if winds change direction and start blowing from the south, the haze could come to Singapore.
Singapore's 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading at 4pm on Thursday was 47, which is still within the good air quality range.
The reading at 4pm on Wednesday was 36.
Transboundary haze in the southern ASEAN region is due to land and forest fires caused by "slash and burn" farming practices in Indonesia, particularly Sumatra and Kalimantan, during the traditional dry period between June and September.
The impact of smoke haze is dependent on factors such as proximity and extent of the fires, strength and direction of prevailing winds, and incidence and amount of rain.
NEA said it is monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates should the air quality deteriorate.
For more information, the public is advised to refer to NEA's PSI website, twitter site or call the NEA Call Centre at 1800 CALL-NEA (1800 2255632).
-CNA/wk
Hazy conditons ahead with hotspots detected in Sumatra
Ng Kai Ling Straits Times 9 Sep 11;
Singapore may experience hazy conditions in the next two weeks as winds from the south are expected to blow smoke over from Sumatra.
The National Environment Agency said in an air quality update that hotspots with slight to moderate smoke haze had been detected in the central and southern parts of Sumatra.
The months of June to September is the traditional dry season for the southern Asean region when farmers and logging companies in Sumatra and Kalimantan take to razing the land.
Singapore's 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index reading at 4pm on Wednesday was 36, which was within the good air quality range.
