Environmental wellness in Singapore has taken a big hit over the weekend, as air pollution soared to a record high for three consecutive days. Indonesian fires have been blamed for hazardous levels of smoky haze in three countries, for which Indonesia prepared to send planes and helicopters last Friday. This fire problem occurs in peat swamp forests on Indonesia’s Sumatra island nearly every year, and neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia, who are affected by these huge plumes of smog, are growing impatient with Indonesia’s response to the problem.
At midday on Friday, Singapore’s main index for air pollution hit a measurement of 401, which exceeded record highs of 371 on Thursday, and 321 on Wednesday. Not only is Singapore suffering its worst haze in history, but these levels of pollution could drastically affect the wellbeing of its inhabitants. Singapore’s air pollution measurements have been classified as hazardous and could aggravate respiratory ailments, and Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, has urged people to remain indoors.
This has caused Singaporeans, plagued by the stifling smell of burning vegetation that wafted into their homes and offices, to flock to pharmacies to buy protective face masks. According to business manager Tan Joa-Quim, ‘I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but even indoors my throat is starting to feel weird. I want a mask but my company has a limited supply, which we prioritised for the older and less healthy staff, and a lot of shops have sold out.’
Even finding your local pharmacy in Singapore could prove difficult, as the dirty, acrid haze has slashed visibility. Airports have been forced to take extra precautions, due to the shrouding of many of the country’s landmarks. The military has also had to reduce outdoor training, and some fast-food companies have suspended their delivery services. This is all because forest fires break out in Indonesia during midyear dry spells, due to carelessly discarded cigarettes and illegal blazes set by plantations and farmers to clear land. Indonesia’s national disaster management agency commented that two helicopters will be sent on a water-bombing operation to assist more than 100 fire-fighters on the ground, and plans are in place for planes to be sent over parts of Sumatra in the next few days. This is a cloud-seeding effort to try to chemically induce rain.
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