Haze to persist in Singapore on Sunday with air quality forecast to hit unhealthy range

SINGAPORE: Hazy conditions in Singapore are expected to continue on Sunday (Oct 8) due to lighter winds, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Singapore's air quality fell into the unhealthy range on Saturday for the first time since 2019, as winds brought haze from Indonesia's forest fires.

"With lighter winds expected over Singapore and the surrounding region tomorrow, the current hazy conditions are expected to persist," said NEA in its daily haze advisory on Saturday.

"Some showers and a favourable change in wind direction can be expected towards Monday, which may lead to some improvement in the haze situation."

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) ranged between 67 and 121 as of 11pm, with the highest reading in the east. NEA regards a reading of 101-200 as "unhealthy". 

The one-hour PM2.5 readings dropped back to the normal range at 11pm after being at elevated levels in parts of Singapore across the day, mostly in the eastern and central areas.

A reading of between 56 and 150 is considered elevated.

The main air pollutant during the haze season is PM2.5 and the one-hour reading is a "good indicator" of the current air quality, said NEA.

Members of the public are advised to monitor these figures when planning for activities within the same day.

As for the 24-hour PSI, health advisories are primarily based on these figures. 

For instance, if the 24-hour PSI is unhealthy, the elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion.

"Use the 24-hour PSI forecast and corresponding health advisories when planning for next-day outdoor activities," NEA said.

"Reducing outdoor activities and physical exertion can help limit the ill effects from haze exposure," it added.

"The public is advised to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

"Those with chronic heart and lung conditions should ensure that medications are on hand and readily accessible. Vulnerable persons, especially the elderly, pregnant women, children and those with chronic heart and lung conditions, who develop symptoms or feel unwell, should seek medical attention promptly."

HOTSPOTS

NEA said 188 hotspots were detected mostly over the southern and central parts of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Saturday compared with 212 on Friday. There were 65 hotspots on Thursday and 15 on Wednesday.

Dry conditions continue to prevail over most parts of the surrounding region, the agency added.

Singapore's haze task force convened on Saturday morning and the 28 agencies involved have rolled out their respective action plans.

The Ministry of Health, for instance, has worked with healthcare institutions to deal with any increase in the number of patients with haze-related medical conditions.

"These measures include using air purifiers and fans, and reducing ambient temperature by deploying portable air coolers where appropriate," said the haze task force.

"Our public healthcare institutions are also monitoring patients closely for possible health effects of the haze and will institute appropriate medical intervention where necessary."

Members of the public in Singapore can check current air quality readings and advisories on www.haze.gov.sg and the myENV app.

Transborder haze is a perennial problem in Southeast Asia.

The fires in Indonesia occur every year during the dry season but this is the first time since September 2019 that they have caused the PSI to reach unhealthy levels in Singapore.

Malaysia has also been affected, with the country's environment minister urging Indonesia to take action on the fires.

"We submitted our letter to inform the Indonesian government and urging them to hopefully take action on the matter," Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Malaysia's minister of natural resources, environment and climate change said on Thursday.

"We cannot keep going back to having haze as something normal."

Indonesia's president Joko Widodo told reporters on Saturday that extreme dry weather was causing wildfires in many areas, but the situation was much better than in 2015 when 2.6 million hectares of land got burned, according to an estimate from the World Bank.

He urged the authorities and the local government to immediately put out any fires before they spread.