Singapore Shrouded In Haze From Sumatra Burning; Over 200 Fires Detected (Source: CME)
Singapore continued to be shrouded in a smoky haze from fires in neighboring Indonesia's Sumatra island, as the air quality in the Southeast Asian city-state inched closer to unhealthy levels again. The city-state's National Environment Agency said its three-hour Pollutant Standards Index reading on Wednesday stood at 80. Over 200 "hotspots" caused by peat fires in Sumatra were seen via satellite. Sumatra is separated from Singapore by the narrow Strait of Malacca
"The prevailing southwesterly winds have brought in some smoke haze from the fires in Sumatra," Singapore's National Environment Agency said in a statement posted late Tuesday on its website. Air quality is considered "moderate" for a PSI range of 51-100, where there are few or no health effects for the general population, and "unhealthy" when readings exceed 100. Singapore usually posts readings in the "good" range of one to 50. The highest 3-hour PSI reading on record in Singapore was 226 in September 1997, during a major air quality crisis triggered by Indonesian forest fires, many of which were set as a cheap but illegal way to clear land for plantations.
The burning caused widespread anger in Southeast Asia, and caused billions in losses from canceled flights, health problems and lost tourism revenue.
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