Singapore ready to help Indonesia in fight against forest fires amid worsening haze: Grace Fu

Singapore is ready to assist Indonesia amid worsening haze conditions in the region.Speaking to the media on Saturday (Oct 10), Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu revealed that she has been in contact with her Indonesian counterpart and has offered support in managing forest fires, which have been made increasingly difficult to put out due to dry weather brought on by El Nino."We are aware that efforts are going on. We stand ready to assist where we can."The minister also expressed appreciation for Indonesia's efforts to contain the fires, adding that Singapore supports any further regional discussions and co-operation on the transboundary haze.Meanwhile, the haze in Singapore has worsened over the past week, with Fu attributing the deterioration to an increase in hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan, as well as unfavourable wind conditions.While some rain is expected over the weekend, she warned that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) could still exceed 200, entering the very unhealthy range.