Scroll through social media this week, and you will come across viral videos circulating online that starkly pit the lush, vibrant green of Kalimantan’s rainforests of the past against today’s harrowing footage of orange, haze-choked skies and burning peatlands.
It is a visual shock that stokes our primal love for nature, and a heartbreaking backdrop to the acrid, heavy air once again blanketing our island.
The haze situation in Singapore has taken a sharp turn for the worse. Over the past week, air quality deteriorated rapidly, with the one-hour PM2.5 reading in the west breaching “very high” levels at 288 in the afternoon of Oct 14, before the 24-hour PSI crossed into the “very unhealthy” territory.
School outdoor activities have been suspended, air-con servicing requests have surged, and the government has begun distributing N95 masks while opening air-conditioned community haze shelters.
We must steel ourselves for a long draw. Indonesian Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat recently said the forest fires “should (be extinguished) within a month”.
As Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu highlighted, Singapore has offered support to our neighbours and remains vigilant, keeping options open under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to hold errant companies accountable.
Yet, until dry spells ease and firefighting efforts come under control, we must face the reality that clearing our skies will take time.
Now is the time to adopt the same resilient mindset that carried us through other great trials, such as the Covid-19 pandemic. We need patience, stoicism, and above all, a spirit of mutual care.
Our strength lies in looking out for one another. Let us extend a helping hand to the vulnerable in our multi-generational households and neighbourhoods – our seniors, pregnant women, and those with respiratory conditions.
Check in on elderly neighbours, offer N95 masks to those who need them, and ensure outdoor workers and delivery riders are supported.
We cannot control the wind, but by standing together, we can ensure our community remains safe, calm, and united until the clear blue skies return.
