1 hr ago
Indonesian Wildfires Push Singapore Air Quality To World’s Worst
Fires in Indonesia sent smoky air across parts of Southeast Asia, including Singapore.
Dry weather and El Niño have helped make fires worse.
Some of the smoke comes from peatlands, where fires can smoulder underground and start burning again.
Singapore’s air became unhealthy in all five regions on October 8.
Officials advised people, especially those at higher health risk, to avoid strenuous outdoor activity when pollution was elevated.
The haze also affected parts of Malaysia.
Schools were ordered to close in several Malaysian areas.
Singapore’s Formula One race was still scheduled to go ahead, with organisers prepared to provide N95 masks if needed.
Smoke from Indonesian wildfires briefly put Singapore at the top of IQAir’s world pollution ranking.
On October 8, Singapore’s 24-hour PSI entered the unhealthy range across all five regions; the west reached 160.
One-hour PM2.5 in western Singapore reached 152 on October 7, classified as a high reading.
Singapore’s National Environment Agency advised people to limit strenuous outdoor activity when PM2.5 levels were elevated.
Formula One organisers said the Singapore Grand Prix would proceed, while Malaysian authorities ordered school closures in several areas.
- Who
- Residents of Singapore and parts of Malaysia; Singapore authorities, Malaysian education authorities and Formula One organisers.
- What
- Smoke from Indonesian wildfires worsened air quality, prompting health advice and school closures; the Singapore Grand Prix was still scheduled to proceed.
- Where
- Singapore and parts of Southeast Asia, including Peninsular Malaysia, Kalimantan, Sarawak and Sumatra.
- When
- The article reports pollution readings on October 7 and 8 and Malaysian school closures for Friday, October 9.
- Why
- Prolonged dry conditions and El Niño contributed to Indonesian wildfires, whose smoke crossed national borders.
Key facts
- Singapore ranking
- Briefly ranked the world’s most polluted city on IQAir’s live ranking on October 7.
- 24-hour PSI
- Entered the unhealthy range across all five Singapore regions at noon on October 8 and remained there overnight.
- Highest regional PSI reported
- The western region recorded a 24-hour PSI high of 160 at 10 am on October 8.
- One-hour PM2.5
- Western Singapore reached 152 at 4 pm on October 7, within the article’s high category of 151–250.
- Rainfall
- Rainfall in the Singapore-Indonesia region had been approximately 80% below normal since June, according to Wang Jingyu.
- Grand Prix
- The FIA said the race would proceed; organisers said N95 masks would be available if required.
- Malaysia school closures
- Closures were announced for schools in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya; Batu Pahat schools were also ordered to close.
Quotes
Chris Carlsten
Professor of medicine at the University of British Columbia, cited on pollution’s possible cognitive effects.
“Our findings show that the pollution effect is similar to that of an alcoholic beverage.”
firstpost.com
Sources
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