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SINGAPORE \u2013 A few hot spots were detected in Johor on March 10, raising the possibility that smoke haze could affect Singapore in the coming days. <\/p>\n
In a Facebook post on March 10, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that with prevailing north-easterly winds and dry conditions expected over the next few days, smoke haze could drift towards Singapore.<\/p>\n
Hot spots refer to areas of elevated heat detected by satellites, which may indicate fires on the ground.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs at 9pm today, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) ranged from 52 to 59 within the moderate range,\u201d the agency added.<\/p>\n
Some residents took to social media at night on March 10 to report a burning smell in different parts of Singapore.<\/p>\n
In a post on the CloudSpotting & SkySpotting Singapore Facebook page, user Terrence Yew asked if others could smell something unusual.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust curious. Is there a burning smell now? Cause it smelt like haze is back again,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
Several people replying to the post said they had noticed a similar smell in areas such as Yishun, Clementi, Woodlands, Tampines, Sengkang and Bukit Merah.<\/p>\n
Episodes of haze and burning smells have occurred intermittently in recent months, often linked to vegetation or peat fires in nearby regions.<\/p>\n
In late January, <\/p>\n parts of Singapore experienced hazy conditions<\/p>\n <\/a> and a burning smell due to vegetation fires in Johor, Malaysia. At the time, NEA said PM2.5 levels were \u201cslightly elevated\u201d, though air quality largely remained within the normal range.<\/p>\n NEA said in a Facebook post on Jan 30 that haze may be expected in Singapore if fires at <\/p>\n detected hot spots persist<\/p>\n <\/a>, adding that with winds blowing from the north and north-east, some smoke haze may be expected if fires continue at the hot spots.<\/p>\n In a Facebook post on Feb 13, NEA said <\/p>\n smoke from nearby peatland and vegetation fires<\/p>\n <\/a> in recent weeks may also be to blame for the burning smell detected across many parts of Singapore then. These fires can release a complex mixture of gases that, even when present at low concentrations, give rise to a \u201cnoticeable burning smell\u201d.<\/p>\n