Carelessness Costs!

Remember how the Austrialian bush fires might have been started by arsonists? Well, I was quite upset to read that Singapore's bush fires were caused by irresponsible people who left the litter (like cigarette butts) behind!

Report from The Straits Times.
Feb 24, 2009
Carelessness behind 95% of bush fires
Cigarette butts, stoves and altar candles spell trouble for firefighters
By Esther Tan

BLAME man for the record number of bush fires here this year.
Blame careless smokers who toss lit cigarette butts into vegetation.
Blame those who leave behind lit candles and burnt offerings at makeshift altars.
Blame those who decide to cook out in the open using charcoal stoves.
They accounted for 95 per cent of the 339 bush fires so far this year.
There were 182 such fires last month, compared to 24 in January last year, a 'very alarming' situation, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
Unthinking actions, coupled with the dry season, have resulted in a huge waste of firefighting resources, said the SCDF's director of operations, Colonel Anwar Abdullah.
The remaining 5 per cent of bush fires are caused naturally - when dry grass rub and trigger sparks, leading to spontaneous combustion, or when they are hit by lightning.
How easy it is to put out a fire depends on the thickness of the vegetation, the gradient of the land and how windy it is.
The more an area is covered in vegetation, the more deep-seated is the fire, said Col Anwar.
If it is burning on a hill, that also makes it tougher for firemen, as they have to haul water hoses up the slope, he said.
It could take an hour to bring under control a fire that has spread over an area the size of two or three football fields.
The SCDF has drawn up a list of more than 15 'hot spots' for bush fires.
The 'hottest' areas encompass Punggol Way, Punggol Field and Sengkang, and stretch along the Tampines Expressway near Punggol Road. The expressway area near Punggol Way and Punggol Field has been scorched 38 times.
But even confined strips of vegetation located on expressway road dividers, along the Kranji Expressway for example, have been razed by fire.
Col Anwar said the SCDF has been working with government agencies such as National Parks Board, the HDB and the Singapore Land Authority to put in place measures to curb the spread of bush fires.
The SCDF is looking at extending the existing hydrant main systems into large vegetated areas to shorten the distance between bush fires and the water supplies needed to put them out for firefighters.
In addition, it has created land buffers - by trimming short the vegetation - along the periphery of some residential areas, near forests, to prevent the spread of fires.
But the cause of fire by human activities remains the main concern of the SCDF.
It advises the public to avoid throwing lighted materials, such as cigarette butts and matches, on grass patches and fields.
It also warns against dumping trash on vacant land, as this can provide an additional source of fuel in the event of a fire.

Singapore Bush Fires

For those of us who wondered if Singapore has bush fires... Now, you know the answer.

17 February 2009
Dry spell causes bush fires to surge to record numbers

SINGAPORE: Singapore has recorded the highest number of vegetation fires in decades due to the dry spell.
In the first two weeks of this month, 106 fires have been recorded. This follows a record 182 in January, well above the average of 26 cases for the month over the past decade.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has described this as unprecedented and said it is installing dry hydrant systems to provide water supply in areas with dry vegetation like Tampines and Fort Road.
Smoke from these vegetation fires has contributed to the particle build—up in the air, resulting in Singapore experiencing slightly hazy conditions since last Friday.
The weak winds have also contributed to the bleary conditions, as they are unable to blow the smoke particles away.
The National Environment Agency said Singapore’s 24—hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) crept up to the "moderate" range of between 53 and 57 over the weekend, rising from the "good" range the week before.
The haze is leaving many Singaporeans hot under the collar.
"Even at night, it’s really hot, even turning on the air—con doesn’t help," said a member of the public.
"Exercise is out of the question, movements out in the open are restricted," said another.
"I couldn’t breathe. I’ve been coughing, because I’m quite allergic to the haze," said a third.
"Even the poor doggies at home" are feeling the heat, said a fourth.
The haziness and hot weather is expected to persist over the next three days, as wind conditions continue to be light.
— CNA/ir