Singapore stands ready to assist Indonesia amid worsening haze, Grace Fu in touch with counterpart
The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index hit 192 in central Singapore on Oct 9, the highest in 2026
Singapore's Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, stated that Singapore is prepared to support Indonesia in tackling the worsening haze and forest fires. Fu is in communication with her Indonesian counterpart, Jumhur Hidayat, to provide assistance and express gratitude for his efforts in controlling the fires.
The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index in central Singapore reached 192 on October 9, 2026, signaling unhealthy air quality. The air quality has been poor since September 4, 2026, due to forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, primarily caused by agricultural land clearing with burning peat. Fu emphasized that the region's dry weather caused by El Nino has made forest fires more challenging to extinguish.
She highlighted that the current haze situation is the longest period of unhealthy air and haze particles since October 5, 2026. Fu also mentioned that Singapore has previously aided Indonesia during severe haze conditions, such as in 2015 when the PSI exceeded 300, and schools had to close for a day. In response to the ongoing haze, Singapore plans to distribute N95 masks to vulnerable individuals and establish haze shelters in air-conditioned rooms for the public.
Schools will be required to suspend outdoor activities and strenuous indoor activities when air quality reaches the "very unhealthy" range.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
