NEA starts issuing haze advisories after increase in hotspots in Indonesia

Channel NewsAsia 4 Aug 17;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) will issue daily haze advisories from Friday (Aug 4), as there has been an increase in hotspot activities over parts of Sumatra and western Kalimantan in Indonesia in recent weeks.

Weather conditions in the region have also become drier, NEA added.

Localised hotspots with smoke plumes have been observed in central and southern Sumatra. There were 29 of such hotspots on Jul 30, the highest daily count over the past few days.

On Friday, three hotspots were detected in Sumatra, said NEA, but no visible smoke plume or haze was observed.

In its advisory, NEA said the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for the next 24 hours in Singapore is forecast to be in the good to moderate range. The agency added that it is monitoring the smoke haze and would provide updates if the situation deteriorates.

"For the next few days, the prevailing winds over Singapore and the surrounding region are forecast to blow from the south-southeast," the agency said. "With dry weather conditions forecast to persist in parts of central and southern Sumatra, an increase in hotspot activities can be expected."