120 hot spots detected mainly in southern half of Sumatra, says NEA
Feng Zengkun and Wahyudi SoeriaatmadjaIndonesia Straits Times AsiaOne 21 Aug 15;
Singapore may have some haze today and the air may even become unhealthy, the National Environment Agency (NEA) warned yesterday evening.
It said that healthy people should reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities, while the elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise doing such activities.
Those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid such exertion, and people who do not feel well should seek medical attention, the NEA added.
The agency said that 120 hot spots were detected in Sumatra, Indonesia, yesterday, mainly in the southern half of the island, and smoke plumes with slight to moderate haze were visible from some of the hot spots.
"With the prevailing winds forecast to blow from the south-west, occasional hazy conditions can be expected," said NEA.
It added that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), which indicates the air quality, is expected to be in the high end of the moderate range of 51 to 100, and may even enter the low end of the unhealthy range.
The 24-hour PSI, which is published online hourly, averages air quality readings in the previous 24 hours. Air is unhealthy when the index crosses 100.
The 24-hour index was in the moderate range across the island from morning to night yesterday, and was slightly higher in the west. The NEA highlighted that the haze was blown in from fires in Sumatra.
Mr David Law, 18, a full-time national serviceman, said the smell of the haze had lingered throughout the day at his training grounds near Clementi. "It was serious to the extent that my throat felt uncomfortable when I was outside," he said, adding that he spent most of the day indoors for training.
Separately, Dr Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), told The Straits Times that efforts to contain the fires are ongoing, and they involve BNPB, the forest ministry, the military, the police and local residents.
BNPB has deployed three aircraft to do cloud seedings and six helicopters for water bombing in Riau. Cloud seeding in Riau has also been carried out since June 22 and more than 100,000kg of chemicals have been used to induce rain. "The threats of forest and land fires will increase as the weather will get hotter," Dr Sutopo said.
Slightly hazy conditions expected on Friday, more than 900 hotspots in Indonesia
Chew Hui Min and Lee Min Kok Straits Times 20 Aug 15;
SINGAPORE - Occasionally hazy conditions can still be expected on Thursday night and on Friday (Aug 20 & 21), the National Environment Agency (NEA) said.
The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) may also rise to the low end of unhealthy levels again.
"For the rest of today and tomorrow, with the prevailing winds forecast to blow from the southwest, occasional hazy conditions can still be expected," NEA said in statement on Thursday evening.
"The 24-hour PSI is expected to be in the high-end of the moderate range and may enter the low-end of the unhealthy range", if wind conditions persist, it added.
Air quality is considered to be moderate when the PSI readings range from 51 to 100, and unhealthy when it hits 101 to 200.
Slight hazy conditions have been prevalent since Wednesday, and the three-hour PSI hit 103 at 5pm on Thursday (Aug 20).
It fell slightly to 100 at 6pm, then to 82 at 9pm. The 24-hour PSI remained in the moderate range.
There were complaints of a strong burning smell in various parts of the island.
The number of hotspots has increased again in Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan in the past few days, said Dr Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), in a Blackberry message.
The southern part of Sumatra is seeing its haze situation worsen as efforts to contain fire has been more focused on the central part of Sumatra, in Riau, the Indonesian province second closest to Singapore.
On Thursday (Aug 20), 720 hotspots were detected in Sumatra and 246 hotspots in Kalimantan, based on the images from the Modis (Terra-Aqua) satellite, according to Dr Sutopo.
The NEA advised members of the public, in particular the elderly, pregnant women and children to avoid exerting themselves outdoors for long periods of time.
Those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid outdoor activities. The agency advised those who are not feeling well to seek medical attention.
The environment agency also forecast thundery showers for Singapore on Friday morning.
3-hour PSI in Singapore briefly crosses 100-mark
NEA said in an advisory in the evening that 120 hotspots were detected on Sumatra on Thursday (Aug 20).
Channel NewsAsia 20 Aug 15;
SINGAPORE: The three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) crossed the 100 mark for the first time on Thursday afternoon (Aug 20), as the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the slightly hazy conditions were due to smoke from fires in Indonesia.
The three-hour PSI at 5pm in Singapore peaked at 103, while the 24-hour PSI was at 68-82, within the Moderate range. As of 7pm, the 3-hour PSI at 7pm dipped to 94, while the 24-hour PSI stood at 67-80. A 24-hour PSI reading of above 100 is considered to be in the Unhealthy range.
NEA said in an advisory in the evening that 120 hotspots were detected on Sumatra on Thursday. It said for the rest of Thursday and Friday, occasional hazy conditions could still be expected, even though thundery showers are forecast for Friday morning.
"The 24-hr PSI is expected to be in the high-end of the Moderate range and may enter the low-end of the Unhealthy range if the prevailing winds continue to blow from the southwest," it stated.
NEA said given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, healthy people should reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities. The elderly, pregnant women and children, as well as those with chronic lung or heart disease especially, should avoid outdoor physical exertion.
- CNA/dl/xq
