OVER the weekend, Singapore received an acrid reminder of how vulnerable the island is to circumstances beyond its control: in this case, the return of the haze.

On Saturday (Oct 7), residents woke to obscured views, and Singapore’s 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading rose into the “unhealthy” range for the first time since 2019.

Fortunately, the air quality improved and the horizon cleared up on Sunday, while a change in prevailing wind direction and showers meant that conditions became even better on Monday.