Wind change helps keep haze away

Samantha Boh, Straits Times AsiaOne 12 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE - A change in wind direction has given Singapore some respite from the haze, which threatened to turn very unhealthy early yesterday.

Gusts from the south and south-west had been blowing smoke from burning forests in Sumatra in Indonesia to Singapore, but the winds now come from the south-east, the National Environment Agency said yesterday.

These winds are expected to persist today, it said.

It forecast the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), an air quality measure, to be in the mid to low end of the unhealthy range (101-200). This may even move into the high end of the moderate range (51-100) if winds stay favourable.

At 5am yesterday, the 24-hour PSI hit between 158 and 182 - its highest level since the new PSI was launched in April last year, and the closest it has come to reaching the very unhealthy range (201-300).

Air quality improved throughout the day. At 8pm, the 24-hour PSI was between 124 and 143.

The number of hot spots in Sumatra also fell from 328 on Thursday to 304 yesterday. On Thursday, Indonesia sent more than 1,000 soldiers there to help put out fires.

On the same day, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen called his counterpart to offer Singapore's aircraft and personnel to seed clouds and aid in firefighting.

Indonesia has accepted this, he said yesterday at the HDB Hub polling centre. He said: "Thankfully, the winds shifted this morning and the haze has come down. But we have to find some way of bringing down the problem, and I'm glad the Indonesian authorities are looking at it."

Despite the unhealthy air quality, many Singaporeans were out and about at East Coast Park, the Botanic Gardens and Bedok Reservoir. Customer service officer Heddy Fan, 28, said: "There isn't any burning smell today, so it should be safe to come to the Botanic Gardens."

But as a precaution, some opted to wear face masks to the polls. Housewife Vivian Ng, 48, said: "It doesn't look as hazy as before, but I decided to wear one just in case."

Accounts manager Deon Gan, 47, did so as her throat has been itchy and uncomfortable from the haze.

The Singapore Cancer Society said yesterday that it is considering cancelling its Race Against Cancer tomorrow. It will decide by 6pm today whether to proceed with the charity run if the PSI exceeds 100.

CapitaLand will close the external features of its properties, such as outdoor playgrounds, if the PSI crosses 150.

Business at East Coast Lagoon Food Centre has slowed slightly since the haze returned this week, some stallholders said.

Drink stall owner Annie Seet, 56, said the centre, usually packed, has been quiet in the last two days. In the 2013 haze episode, when the 24-hour PSI hit a high of 246, she closed her stall for five days as the haze irritated her eyes and throat.

"I hope it will not be as bad this time," she said.

Hazy conditions move into the Moderate range in the early hours of Saturday
Today Online 12 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE — The hazy conditions in Singapore continued to improve past midnight.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) announced at 3am on Saturday (Sept 12) that the 24-hour PSI was at 74 - 95, indicating readings that are in the Moderate range. The 3-hour PSI remained the same as the previous hour, staying at 58.

The total number of hotspots detected in Sumatra on Friday (Sept 11) was 304, said the NEA; and widespread moderate to dense haze was observed in central and southern Sumatra, with some haze spreading to the western parts of Peninsular Malaysia.

Slightly hazy conditions are expected to continue for the rest of Saturday.

The prevailing winds are forecast to continue blowing from the southeast and Singapore may experience occasional hazy conditions during the day, said the NEA.

The NEA said on Friday that hazy conditions improved due to a shift in the direction of the prevailing winds to southeasterly and are expected to continue improving through the day as the winds are forecasted to be maintained.

Singapore experienced its worst haze in two years overnight with the three-hour PSI breaching the 200-mark, hitting 207 at 11pm and reaching a high of 248 at 3am early this morning. The PSI then began to decline in the following hours.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday conveyed Singapore’s “deep concern” to the Indonesian Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar, and called for stricter enforcement actions against the perpetrators.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen called Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu to assist in combating the forest fires in Sumatra. The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have placed on standby a C-130 aircraft for cloud-seeding operations, a Chinook helicopter with a water bucket for aerial fire-fighting, and up to two C-130 aircraft to ferry the Singapore Civil Defence Force fire-fighting assistance team.

Occasional haze in Singapore expected through Saturday: NEA
A total of 304 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, Indonesia, on Friday, down from 328 on Thursday, says the National Environment Agency.
Channel NewsAsia 11 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE: Occasional haze is expected in Singapore through Saturday (Sep 12), though the air quality is expected to improve, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

At 1am on Saturday, the 3-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) was 58, while the 24-hour reading was 95-110.

The air quality in Singapore was in the Unhealthy range throughout Friday. A total of 304 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, Indonesia, on Friday, down from 328 on Thursday.

“Singapore may experience occasional hazy conditions during the day” on Saturday, said NEA in an advisory. The 24-hour PSI is expected to be in the “low end of the Unhealthy range, with the possibility of entering the high end of the Moderate range if winds remain favourable”, the agency added.

The air quality in Singapore reached unhealthy levels on Thursday, with the 3-hour PSI peaking at the year’s highest of 248 at 3am on Friday.

Indonesia on Thursday accepted Singapore's offer of help in fighting the forest fires that are causing hazy skies in the Republic and Malaysia, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

- CNA/xq