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Singapore renews haze assistance package to Indonesia as dry season approaches

SINGAPORE — As the region enters the traditional dry season, Singapore has renewed its offer to help Indonesia to combat possible land and forest fires which can result in transboundary haze, said the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) today (June 3).

An aerial view of burning trees is seen during the haze in Indonesia's Riau province on June 28, 2013. Photo: Reuters

An aerial view of burning trees is seen during the haze in Indonesia's Riau province on June 28, 2013. Photo: Reuters

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SINGAPORE — As the region enters the traditional dry season, Singapore has renewed its offer to help Indonesia to combat possible land and forest fires which can result in transboundary haze, said the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) today (June 3).

Noting that the region could be affected by the El Nino phenomenon this year, the ministry said: “This could result in drier weather which would exacerbate the impact of transboundary haze caused by land and forest fires.”

Same as last year’s assistance package, Singapore will offer: One C-130 aircraft for cloud seeding operations, up to two C-130 aircraft to ferry a fire-fighting assistance team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), a team from SCDF to provide assessment and planning assistance to Indonesian counterparts in their fire-fighting efforts, high resolution satellite pictures and hotspot coordinates, as well as one Chinook helicopter with one SCDF water bucket for aerial fire-fighting.

Since 2005, the Government has consistently offered assistance packages to Indonesia to complement its efforts in combating possible land and forest fires, said the MEWR.

The traditional dry season starts this month until October. Singapore was affected by transboundary haze pollution in September and October last year.

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