TODAY, 9 Oct 2015
Indonesia yesterday asked for help from Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Japan to put out forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across South-east Asia — the first time such a large-scale international operation will take place in the region to combat the yearly problem.
Indonesia is also in discussions with a fifth country, Australia, on how it can help to tackle the crisis.
“We have asked for help,” President Joko Widodo said, adding that Indonesia was hoping for at least three aircraft from Singapore and Russia to help douse the fires that often smoulder underground for weeks in peat deposits. “What we need now are planes that can carry 12-15 tonnes of water, not like the 2-3 tonnes we have now.”
Indonesia yesterday asked for help from Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Japan to put out forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across South-east Asia — the first time such a large-scale international operation will take place in the region to combat the yearly problem.
Indonesia is also in discussions with a fifth country, Australia, on how it can help to tackle the crisis.
“We have asked for help,” President Joko Widodo said, adding that Indonesia was hoping for at least three aircraft from Singapore and Russia to help douse the fires that often smoulder underground for weeks in peat deposits. “What we need now are planes that can carry 12-15 tonnes of water, not like the 2-3 tonnes we have now.”
“We hope this will speed up the process because fires on peat land is different from regular forest fires.”
Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir added that Jakarta was in talks with Canberra and Kuala Lumpur about how they might help. “We have been using all our resources, but what we see is our progress is not quick enough,” Mr Nasir told Reuters, adding that Indonesia was exploring what roles the countries could play and what equipment they could provide. They aimed to finalise details “as soon as possible”, he said.
Indonesia had repeatedly declined offers of outside help to tackle the smoke, which is mostly caused by companies using fire to clear land for palm oil and pulp wood plantations on Sumatra island and its part of Borneo island. In particular, the government had faced criticism for turning down several offers from Singapore.
Indonesian officials yesterday did not elaborate on why the government has now decided to seek foreign help, although Indonesian media had earlier reported on Wednesday that Jakarta was concerned that Singapore will claim credit for solving the problem.
Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday night that his Indonesian counterpart, Ms Retno Marsudi, had indicated Jakarta will take up Singapore’s offer of assistance following a “good discussion” the pair had on Tuesday.
Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday night that his Indonesian counterpart, Ms Retno Marsudi, had indicated Jakarta will take up Singapore’s offer of assistance following a “good discussion” the pair had on Tuesday.
Responding to TODAY’s queries, a Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said yesterday that Singapore has offered a C-130 aircraft for cloud-seeding operations and a Chinook helicopter with a 5,000-litre heli-bucket under-slung for aerial firefighting and waterbombing efforts. A firefighting assistance team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force will be deployed. Up to two C-130 aircraft will also be on standby.
Ms Marsudi is expected to meet her Malaysian counterpart today to discuss the details. Yesterday, Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he has contacted his Indonesian counterpart Ryamizard Ryacudu and Ms Marsudi regarding the next steps.
Ms Marsudi is expected to meet her Malaysian counterpart today to discuss the details. Yesterday, Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he has contacted his Indonesian counterpart Ryamizard Ryacudu and Ms Marsudi regarding the next steps.
“For now, help sought by Indonesia involves an aircraft that is able to put out widespread fires. The Malaysian government will fly an amphibious Bombardier CL415MP for the mission to Indonesia,” said Mr Hishamuddin.
“The aircraft is able to drop 6,137 litres of water in 12 seconds while flying at a speed of 130km/h,” he told a press conference.”
Russia has reportedly also offered a Beriev waterbomber to combat the haze. The high-capacity Beriev can carry up to 37,200kg of water and fly up to 3,850km without refuelling.
The transboundary haze has pushed up pollution to dangerous levels across parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thailand; disrupted flights and closed schools on bad days.
MFA sent our latest formal request for the names of the companies suspected of being involved in the #haze to the...
Posted by Vivian Balakrishnan on Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Russia has reportedly also offered a Beriev waterbomber to combat the haze. The high-capacity Beriev can carry up to 37,200kg of water and fly up to 3,850km without refuelling.
The transboundary haze has pushed up pollution to dangerous levels across parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thailand; disrupted flights and closed schools on bad days.
Tourism operators are fretting and health authorities across the region have warned people to avoid exercise when the smoke is heavy.
Indonesia routinely brushes off complaints while vowing to act to stop the burning. Various technical and financial cooperation programmes have been carried out with international partners, but year after year, the problem flares in the dry season.
It has been exacerbated this year by the El Nino weather phenomenon that has brought unusually dry conditions. Indonesia’s national disaster management agency said last week it was hoping for rain to help douse the fires by early November, when the north-east monsoon usually starts. AGENCIES
Indonesian president Joko Widodo has asked Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Japan for help to put out the forest fires. http://str.sg/Z6H6
Posted by The Straits Times on Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Jakarta rejected earlier offers ‘over concerns Singapore would claim credit’
TODAY, 8 Oct 2015
JAKARTA — Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said that Jakarta had earlier rejected Singapore’s offers of assistance to combat the transboundary haze crisis in the region because it was concerned that the city state would claim credit for solving the problem, even while the officials were worried about the rapidly deteriorating situation.
“The (Indonesian) government is not closing ourselves off to assistance. But if we are assisted, the government does not want them (Singapore) to claim the credit. It is the government that is working hard to resolve (this smog disaster) … So we do not want it to reach the point of them claiming credit for it,” Mr Anung told CNN Indonesia yesterday (Oct 7).
According to Indonesian media reports, President Joko Widodo held an unscheduled closed-door meeting yesterday to discuss the haze problem, which has worsened this week.
Jakarta today asked for help from Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Japan to put out forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across South-east Asia, after having turned down several offers of foreign assistance from other countries, particularly Singapore and Malaysia, which have also been affected by haze since the crisis began last month.
TODAY, 8 Oct 2015
JAKARTA — Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said that Jakarta had earlier rejected Singapore’s offers of assistance to combat the transboundary haze crisis in the region because it was concerned that the city state would claim credit for solving the problem, even while the officials were worried about the rapidly deteriorating situation.
“The (Indonesian) government is not closing ourselves off to assistance. But if we are assisted, the government does not want them (Singapore) to claim the credit. It is the government that is working hard to resolve (this smog disaster) … So we do not want it to reach the point of them claiming credit for it,” Mr Anung told CNN Indonesia yesterday (Oct 7).
http://tdy.sg/1JV1K0H - #Haze: “If we are assisted, the government does not want them (Singapore) to claim the credit....
Posted by TODAY on Thursday, October 8, 2015
According to Indonesian media reports, President Joko Widodo held an unscheduled closed-door meeting yesterday to discuss the haze problem, which has worsened this week.
Jakarta today asked for help from Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Japan to put out forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across South-east Asia, after having turned down several offers of foreign assistance from other countries, particularly Singapore and Malaysia, which have also been affected by haze since the crisis began last month.
Minister of Forestry and Environment Siti Nurbaya Bakar said yesterday that the government had opened up to the possibility of accepting international assistance as the situation was getting worse.
Dr Siti Nurbaya explained that as the fires spread and difficulty of putting them out increased, Indonesia would need support from abroad to provide equipment that is capable of providing water capacity and stronger volume pressure. “It seems that there is a need to receive support whether from Singapore, Russia, Austria, and others,” said the minister at the Presidential Palace Complex yesterday. She added that water bombing and artificial rain would be the most effective and in this regard, Indonesia required more aircraft at its disposal
This was despite Dr Siti Nurbaya stating earlier that Indonesia did not require any assistance from Singapore as it has more than enough aircraft.
Mr Anung stressed yesterday that while the government had not yet decided to declare the smog that is blanketing Sumatra and Kalimantan as a national disaster, it was very concerned about the problem. He said Mr Widodo was actively monitoring the situation, especially through social media, including direct view content uploaded by the community.
Mr Anung stressed yesterday that while the government had not yet decided to declare the smog that is blanketing Sumatra and Kalimantan as a national disaster, it was very concerned about the problem. He said Mr Widodo was actively monitoring the situation, especially through social media, including direct view content uploaded by the community.
“Earlier we showed this (information from social media) to the President. The President knows everything, because we want the President to get information that is as complete as possible to the events that happened,” the Cabinet Secretary highlighted.
Mr Widodo planned to go to a number of areas affected by the haze but he has not been able to do so as the air quality and visibility worsened. AGENCIES
Jakarta's cloudy approach to haze
Editorial, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2015
Editorial, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2015
There are two crucial points about the current haze originating from deliberate forest fires in Indonesian Sumatra and Kalimantan that are worth pondering. First, it is the worst annual effusion of bad air in almost 20 years there and in Malaysia, Singapore and parts of Thailand and the Philippines. By the Indonesian government's own reckoning, the damage done by the forest fires and haze have cost the country between $30 billion and $40 billion. Despite that, there is insufficient direct, mutual and effective discussion between Indonesia and its affected neighbours which is uncharacteristic of Asean's oft-lauded spirit of cooperation and consensus.
The second worry is the political haze in certain quarters of Jakarta despite the worsening of the environmental haze gripping towns and cities in the region. It has been unusually persistent this year, going far beyond the one month of smoke referred to by Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla in his snarky dismissal of complaints by Asean victims. This is not the first time he has argued disingenuously that thanks is owed to Indonesia for bestowing fresh air to regional neighbours for the rest of the year. Requiring victims to show gratitude to perpetrators is a logic that would confound even the most cynical of diplomats. Besides, these victims include many citizens of Indonesia too.
Experts are forecasting the haze, which began in mid-August, to last until November, perhaps even longer, depending on the winds and the whim of El Nino. More people will suffer health problems, business losses will mount, and tourists will shun a region that is blanketed by haze day and night. The absence of a convincing strategy to deal with such hazards might make even investors with big risk appetites nervous. Indonesian President Joko Widodo's assurance of a permanent solution in three years demonstrates his willingness to tackle a problem that his countrymen have not solved over the past 40 years. However, experts doubt if that can be achieved quickly given the widespread malpractices there.
International observers would wonder why Indonesia has chosen to largely decline offers of assistance from Malaysia and Singapore and has decided to tackle the problem alone. Pride and sovereignty are understandable when it regards itself as the natural leader of Asean, having the largest economy in South-east Asia and the biggest population. But it is also a nation of extremes - urbanites in bustling cities and hunter-gatherers in remote areas; Big Agri exploiting massive concessions and slash-and-burn cultivators eking out a living from the land. Given the scale of the haze problem and the limits of the resources it can muster, Jakarta should not overlook substantive dialogue with its Asean partners to help douse the fires and get to the root of this annual scourge.
The second worry is the political haze in certain quarters of Jakarta despite the worsening of the environmental haze gripping towns and cities in the region. It has been unusually persistent this year, going far beyond the one month of smoke referred to by Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla in his snarky dismissal of complaints by Asean victims. This is not the first time he has argued disingenuously that thanks is owed to Indonesia for bestowing fresh air to regional neighbours for the rest of the year. Requiring victims to show gratitude to perpetrators is a logic that would confound even the most cynical of diplomats. Besides, these victims include many citizens of Indonesia too.
Experts are forecasting the haze, which began in mid-August, to last until November, perhaps even longer, depending on the winds and the whim of El Nino. More people will suffer health problems, business losses will mount, and tourists will shun a region that is blanketed by haze day and night. The absence of a convincing strategy to deal with such hazards might make even investors with big risk appetites nervous. Indonesian President Joko Widodo's assurance of a permanent solution in three years demonstrates his willingness to tackle a problem that his countrymen have not solved over the past 40 years. However, experts doubt if that can be achieved quickly given the widespread malpractices there.
International observers would wonder why Indonesia has chosen to largely decline offers of assistance from Malaysia and Singapore and has decided to tackle the problem alone. Pride and sovereignty are understandable when it regards itself as the natural leader of Asean, having the largest economy in South-east Asia and the biggest population. But it is also a nation of extremes - urbanites in bustling cities and hunter-gatherers in remote areas; Big Agri exploiting massive concessions and slash-and-burn cultivators eking out a living from the land. Given the scale of the haze problem and the limits of the resources it can muster, Jakarta should not overlook substantive dialogue with its Asean partners to help douse the fires and get to the root of this annual scourge.
Indonesia to get Russian water-bombing aircraft
By Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta and Shannon Teoh, Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2015
They are giants in the sky but amphibious and purpose-built to haul more water and fly farther to douse fires over sprawling lands.
One is the Russian-made Beriev Be-200 and it is designed to carry up to 37,200kg of water and fly up to 3,850km without refuelling. The other is the CL-215 from Canada, which is smaller but still packs a punch in terms of its flight range.
Russia has agreed to offer Indonesia a Beriev water-bomber, but talks to land the aircraft from Canada had stalled.
By Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta and Shannon Teoh, Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2015
One is the Russian-made Beriev Be-200 and it is designed to carry up to 37,200kg of water and fly up to 3,850km without refuelling. The other is the CL-215 from Canada, which is smaller but still packs a punch in terms of its flight range.
Russia has agreed to offer Indonesia a Beriev water-bomber, but talks to land the aircraft from Canada had stalled.
Indonesia believes these water bombers can be game-changers in its fight against forest fires raging in Kalimantan and Sumatra, and had initially wanted Singapore and Malaysia's help to acquire them.
"These amphibious aircraft can fly then land on a river, lake or sea to scoop up a very large amount of water and then take off again to douse fires over an area of between 1ha to 1.6ha. So, with just one strike the fires are gone," said Dr Sutopo Purwo Nugroho from Indonesia's disaster management agency (BNPB).
These aircraft have a solid track record in firefighting operations across Europe and North America.
The Straits Times understands that the Republic of Singapore Air Force does not operate the two aircraft identified by the BNPB.
However, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency has the Bombardier 415, which is a newer variant of the CL-215, but Kuala Lumpur has yet to receive a request for the aircraft from Jakarta.
Malaysia and Singapore were the first countries affected by the haze.
Both countries have offered help to deal with the crisis, with Indonesia saying it was considering their offers.
Singapore's assistance package included a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SDCF) firefighting assistance team, a C-130 aircraft for cloud- seeding and a Chinook helicopter equipped with a water bucket for aerial firefighting. Malaysia had also offered aircraft.
Yesterday, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is offering another team from SCDF to provide assessment and planning assistance, high resolution satellite pictures and hot spot coordinates.
Last night, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, in a post on Facebook, said that Indonesia will now take up the offer.
SCDF ready to leave for Indonesia to fight fires
MFA awaiting details on assets under haze assistance package that Jakarta will require
By Francis Chan, Indonesia Bureau Chief and Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2015
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel and aircraft from the Singapore Armed Forces are standing by - ready to leave for Indonesia at a moment's notice.
This after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) received a formal note from Indonesia stating that it welcomes the "cooperation offered by Singapore to suppress (the) large-scale forest fires".
"Currently, we are awaiting further details from our Indonesian counterparts on the assets under our haze assistance package which Indonesia will require," an MFA spokesman said in response to queries from The Straits Times.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said yesterday that apart from Singapore, Russia and Malaysia will also help his country tackle the forest and peatland fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra. "We hope efforts to fight fires will be accelerated," he added.
MFA awaiting details on assets under haze assistance package that Jakarta will require
By Francis Chan, Indonesia Bureau Chief and Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2015
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel and aircraft from the Singapore Armed Forces are standing by - ready to leave for Indonesia at a moment's notice.
This after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) received a formal note from Indonesia stating that it welcomes the "cooperation offered by Singapore to suppress (the) large-scale forest fires".
"Currently, we are awaiting further details from our Indonesian counterparts on the assets under our haze assistance package which Indonesia will require," an MFA spokesman said in response to queries from The Straits Times.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said yesterday that apart from Singapore, Russia and Malaysia will also help his country tackle the forest and peatland fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra. "We hope efforts to fight fires will be accelerated," he added.
Mr Joko had faced pressure from local politicians who told the government not to turn away foreign offers of help to fight the fires.
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a Facebook post last night that he was glad Indonesia accepted the help. Singapore had extended the offer several times but was turned down until now.
MFA said the assistance package includes a Chinook helicopter with a 5,000-litre heli-bucket for use in aerial firefighting and water-bombing operations. The heli-bucket will be operated by the SCDF's elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team.
A C-130 Hercules aircraft will be deployed for cloud seeding. When the operation will take place will ultimately depend on cloud conditions, the ministry said.
<<Ready to Assist in Indonesian Fires>> I’m glad Indonesian leaders have stated publicly that they accept Singapore’s...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Thursday, October 8, 2015
MFA said the assistance package includes a Chinook helicopter with a 5,000-litre heli-bucket for use in aerial firefighting and water-bombing operations. The heli-bucket will be operated by the SCDF's elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team.
A C-130 Hercules aircraft will be deployed for cloud seeding. When the operation will take place will ultimately depend on cloud conditions, the ministry said.
"A firefighting assistance team from the SCDF will be deployed to provide field assessment and planning assistance... (and) the team will be led by a senior SCDF officer, experienced in the conduct of rapid assessment for firefighting operations," added the MFA. "Up to two C-130 aircraft will be on standby to provide further support."
Singapore has also offered to share its high-resolution satellite pictures and hot-spot coordinates.
Indonesia's disaster management agency (BNPB) said yesterday that foreign assets will be deployed specifically in South Sumatra's Ogan Komering Ilir and Musi Banyuasin regencies, which are among the worst hit by peatland fires this year.
A coordination meeting will be held to discuss in detail such items as the type of assistance needed and the work flow, BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
Dr Ng said the Chinook, which was deployed to put out forest fires in Chiang Mai in March, stands ready and will take off once Indonesia gives the green light. He added: "In addition, we can follow up with a Super Puma helicopter with a 2,000-litre heli-bucket as needed."
A coordination meeting will be held to discuss in detail such items as the type of assistance needed and the work flow, BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
Dr Ng said the Chinook, which was deployed to put out forest fires in Chiang Mai in March, stands ready and will take off once Indonesia gives the green light. He added: "In addition, we can follow up with a Super Puma helicopter with a 2,000-litre heli-bucket as needed."
We have deployed our 5,000-litre *heli-bucket and a 6-man Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) led by team leader...
Posted by Singapore Civil Defence Force on Friday, October 9, 2015
SAF, SCDF teams head to Indonesia to help fight fires
By Francis Chan, The Sunday Times, 11 Oct 2015
By Francis Chan, The Sunday Times, 11 Oct 2015
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) deployed three aircraft and a 34- strong team to Indonesia yesterday morning, in aid of the country's battle with forest fires in Sumatra.
They were accompanied by a six-man Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), said the Ministry of Defence.
Indonesia's current haze crisis has affected millions across the region in recent weeks.
Apart from Singapore, Malaysia, Russia and China have also stepped up to help, with Australia the latest country to say it will send a Lockheed L-100 Hercules to assist in water-bombing operations.
They were accompanied by a six-man Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), said the Ministry of Defence.
Indonesia's current haze crisis has affected millions across the region in recent weeks.
Apart from Singapore, Malaysia, Russia and China have also stepped up to help, with Australia the latest country to say it will send a Lockheed L-100 Hercules to assist in water-bombing operations.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the country is familiar with the devastating effects of the fires and wanted to support Indonesia in this time of need.
"While Australia has experienced a dramatic start to the bushfire season, a lull in severe weather conditions has meant we can assist Indonesia and still maintain national aerial firefighting coverage," she said.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force has just deployed a CH-47D Chinook helicopter to assist in fighting the ongoing...
Posted by The Republic of Singapore Air Force on Friday, October 9, 2015
Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) aircraft involved in the mission include a CH-47D Chinook helicopter, which will haul a 5,000-litre heli-bucket, and two C-130 transport planes to ferry the SAF and SCDF personnel and their equipment to the area of operations.
The Dart officers will oversee the deployment of the heli-bucket, which will drop water from the air onto fires to put them out.
Indonesia's disaster management agency (BNPB) said a Bombardier amphibious aircraft and its Malaysian crew had arrived on Friday to begin water-bombing efforts in South Sumatra.
"They are currently being briefed by the disaster mitigation chief and the water bombing will start immediately after that," BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Agence France-Presse yesterday.
The BNPB had said earlier that the team from Singapore is expected to be deployed in South Sumatra's Ogan Komering Ilir and Musi Banyuasin regencies, which are among the worst hit by peatland fires this year.
Chief of Air Force, Major-General Hoo Cher Mou, and SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap were at Sembawang Airbase to send off the team yesterday morning. The group was set to take off for Indonesia on Friday but poor visibility in Palembang delayed its departure.
The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the capital city of South Sumatra peaked at 470, which is in the hazardous zone, at 8am yesterday before falling to 198 at 6pm in the evening.
In Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, where schools were shut for more than three weeks, the PSI was at 1,865, way above hazardous levels.
Most of the firefighting and haze mitigation efforts have been focused on South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan due to the severe conditions in both provinces.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said yesterday that while help from friendly countries has started to arrive, putting out the fires under peatland will still be challenging.
He added in a post on Facebook that 36 per cent of the fires in Kalimantan and 46 per cent in Sumatra are on peatland.
Meanwhile, the Environment and Forestry Ministry said companies and individuals responsible for illegal forest fires could face multiple charges under environment, money-laundering and plantation laws.
"The charges will be multiple to give a deterrent effect," said the ministry's directorate general secretary of law enforcement, Mr Novrizal Bahar.
Singapore joins multinational effort to douse Sumatra fires
By Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta and Carolyn Khew, The Straits Times, 12 Oct 2015
A multinational effort to fight forest fires in Indonesia began on Sunday (Oct 11) as Singapore joined forces with other countries to help douse fires in South Sumatra.
A Chinook helicopter from Singapore was sent to Indonesia at the weekend to help in firefighting operations there, one of Indonesia's worst-hit areas.
The Chinook, which had a 5,000-litre water bucket, worked with a Bombardier water bomber from Malaysia, which can scoop 6,000 litres of seawater.
By Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta and Carolyn Khew, The Straits Times, 12 Oct 2015
A multinational effort to fight forest fires in Indonesia began on Sunday (Oct 11) as Singapore joined forces with other countries to help douse fires in South Sumatra.
A Chinook helicopter from Singapore was sent to Indonesia at the weekend to help in firefighting operations there, one of Indonesia's worst-hit areas.
The Chinook, which had a 5,000-litre water bucket, worked with a Bombardier water bomber from Malaysia, which can scoop 6,000 litres of seawater.
They joined two air-tractor water bombers from Indonesia's Environment and Forestry Ministry and six choppers from its Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Indonesia accepted Singapore's help last week after turning down its earlier offers.
Indonesia accepted Singapore's help last week after turning down its earlier offers.
In a statement to the media on Sunday, BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said Australia's L-100 Hercules aircraft will arrive by Wednesday. "This aircraft will operate for five days in South Sumatra as it will be needed to fight fires in New South Wales," he said.
Indonesia is waiting for more aircraft from other countries to help douse the fires, Dr Sutopo said.
Russia is expected to send a Beriev Be-200 aircraft, which can scoop 12,000 litres of water from a lake or the sea; China is also expected to send a few aircraft.
<<Singapore Firefighting Efforts in Indonesia>>Water-bombing operations began in Palembang today. Difficult conditions...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Sunday, October 11, 2015
On Facebook on Sunday, Singapore's Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said conditions for the water-bombing operations in Palembang, South Sumatra, were difficult as thick smoke affected visibility.
Meanwhile, visibility across Singapore was generally good yesterday, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the range of 84 to 93 at 10pm. At 10pm, the three-hour PSI was 111.
In its advisory on Sunday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the 24-hour PSI for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the moderate range, and may enter the low end of the unhealthy range if denser haze is blown in from the surrounding region.
The NEA said 129 hot spots were detected in Sumatra on Sunday. Prevailing winds are forecast to be weak on Monday, and occasional slight haze can be expected, with visibility likely to be in the normal range.
<<Video – SCDF Heli-bucket and RSAF Chinook in action>>Here’s a video of our SAF and SCDF personnel in action,...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Monday, October 12, 2015
Our Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officers, together with others, have been...
Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Tough battle for Singapore team fighting fires in Sumatra
Dense haze, low visibility make conditions challenging for 40-member contingent
By Francis Chan, Indonesia Bureau Chief, The Straits Times, 16 Oct 2015
A 40-strong team from Singapore helping Indonesia battle the raging forest fires in South Sumatra has achieved some success in reducing the number of hot spots.
Pollutant Standards Index levels, however, continued to fluctuate between hazardous and unhealthy in the province for much of yesterday.
Air pollution levels in Palembang, the capital city of South Sumatra, peaked at a PSI of 530, before falling to 212 later in the evening.
It was worse in Central Kalimantan, the other region badly hit by the haze. The PSI in its capital Palangkaraya rose to 1,200 at 8am, and while this fell to 600 at about 6pm yesterday, it is still way above the hazardous level of 350.
Three aircraft and 34 men from the Singapore Armed Forces were deployed to South Sumatra - one of the worst-hit areas during the ongoing haze crisis - last Saturday.
Dense haze, low visibility make conditions challenging for 40-member contingent
By Francis Chan, Indonesia Bureau Chief, The Straits Times, 16 Oct 2015
A 40-strong team from Singapore helping Indonesia battle the raging forest fires in South Sumatra has achieved some success in reducing the number of hot spots.
Pollutant Standards Index levels, however, continued to fluctuate between hazardous and unhealthy in the province for much of yesterday.
Air pollution levels in Palembang, the capital city of South Sumatra, peaked at a PSI of 530, before falling to 212 later in the evening.
It was worse in Central Kalimantan, the other region badly hit by the haze. The PSI in its capital Palangkaraya rose to 1,200 at 8am, and while this fell to 600 at about 6pm yesterday, it is still way above the hazardous level of 350.
The combined Singapore Armed Forces and Singapore Civil Defence Force assistance team persevered under challenging...
Posted by cyberpioneer on Thursday, October 15, 2015
Three aircraft and 34 men from the Singapore Armed Forces were deployed to South Sumatra - one of the worst-hit areas during the ongoing haze crisis - last Saturday.
They were accompanied by a six-man Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
The combined force often encountered high levels of air pollution and low visibility.
This makes the firefighting operations all the more challenging, said mission commander Lieutenant-Colonel Vincent Tan, 45.
"The very obvious challenge is the haze itself," he told Cyberpioneer in a report out on Wednesday.
"There are two aspects to it: One is the visibility that affects largely the people who are flying the heli-bucket operations.
"The second aspect is the pollutants in the air that have adverse effects on our people - not just the guys who are flying but on the ground as well."
Their efforts, however, helped reduce the number of hot spots in Sumatra earlier in the week.
On Monday and Tuesday, satellites detected just 156 fires - down from a recent peak of more than 725.
This was attributed to a combination of rain over the region as well as the multilateral firefighting operation in South Sumatra, which is being led by the Indonesians and also involves a team from Malaysia.
Team morale in the Singapore team remains high despite the harsh conditions, said LTC Tan.
"We see the purpose in coming here to help our neighbours.
"The team members are all very well-trained and prepared to undertake the missions that are expected. I'm confident that we will do a good job and, at the end of the operation, return to our families safely."
Lieutenant Samuel Ten, the aerial cargo rigger responsible for securing a 5,000-litre heli-bucket - used by the SCDF to douse fires from the air - to the Chinook helicopter before take-off, said his team is working very well with the Home Team officers.
"In fact, we just completed a good mission today, finding more water sources and landing sites for the helicopter," said the platoon commander of the Air Terminal Company from the 3rd Transport Battalion.
The multilateral water-bombing operation continues this week.
On Wednesday, South Sumatra governor Alex Noerdin visited the combined SAF-SCDF assistance team to thank them for their assistance in resolving the crisis.
In Singapore, Law Minister K. Shanmugam also acknowledged the efforts of the Singaporeans on Facebook.
"Conditions are challenging, with poor visibility and dense haze," said Mr Shanmugam, who is also Minister for Home Affairs.
"The firefighting is taking place in difficult conditions. Our thoughts are with our officers."
Sharing some pics taken by our SAF soldiers in Palembang. More than a hundred thousand people in Indonesia are...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Thursday, October 15, 2015
<<Mission Persistence>> Since our Chinook deployed in Palembang 9 days ago, the team has performed 47 water-bombing...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Monday, October 19, 2015
<<The Haze>>The Indonesian authorities accepted help from various countries including Singapore to deal with the haze...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Saturday, October 24, 2015
SAF, SCDF teams return to Singapore on Saturday after fighting haze-related fires in Indonesia
By Chew Hui Min, The Straits Times, 24 Oct 2015
The Singapore team sent to help Indonesia combat haze-related fires has returned home after the two-week deployment as requested by Indonesian authorities, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Saturday.
He wrote on Facebook: "The Australian and Malaysian teams left Palembang earlier, on 19 and 20 Oct respectively. With the two-week period concluded, our SAF and SCDF personnel returned home today."
A 40-man team from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was deployed to Palembang in Sumatra on Oct 10.
Dr Ng said that Indonesian authorities have realised that "prevention and enforcement" are key in dealing with the haze.
A 40-man team from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was deployed to Palembang in Sumatra on Oct 10.
Dr Ng said that Indonesian authorities have realised that "prevention and enforcement" are key in dealing with the haze.
He added that the scale of the disaster required a systemic, deliberate and multi-prong response to be effective, and noted that there is no shortage of expertise, both regional and international, to deal with such fires, if requested.
Dr Ng went on to highlight how the haze has impacted the lives of millions in the region: "Schools have closed and the volume of business has dropped. Tourist arrivals will plummet if this becomes a chronic issue."
"But to me, the strongest motivation to deal with the haze for Indonesia must be a moral one – the health of hundreds of thousands of their own citizens are affected by this man-made disaster as they breathe in high levels of pollutants," Dr Ng wrote.
"These are strong reasons to act decisively."
The team was welcomed home at Paya Lebar Air Base by their loved ones as well as Chief of Defence Force Perry Lim, Chief of Air Force Hoo Cher Mou and senior SAF officers.
The six SCDF Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team officers deployed for the mission were received by SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap.
Team Leader Ahmad Faizal said: "We have done our best and hope that our collective efforts, including those from Indonesia and other countries, would improve the haze situation there for the locals and for us in Singapore."
"These are strong reasons to act decisively."
Our 34 SAF and six Singapore Civil Defence Force Disaster Assistance and Relief Team personnel have just safely returned...
Posted by The Republic of Singapore Air Force on Saturday, October 24, 2015
The team was welcomed home at Paya Lebar Air Base by their loved ones as well as Chief of Defence Force Perry Lim, Chief of Air Force Hoo Cher Mou and senior SAF officers.
The six SCDF Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team officers deployed for the mission were received by SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap.
Team Leader Ahmad Faizal said: "We have done our best and hope that our collective efforts, including those from Indonesia and other countries, would improve the haze situation there for the locals and for us in Singapore."
6 SCDF DART officers who were deployed to Indonesia to assist in fire-fighting operations returned to Singapore this...
Posted by Singapore Civil Defence Force on Saturday, October 24, 2015
After extinguishing more than 50 hotspots and discharging more than 400,000 litres of water within the last 2 weeks, 34...
Posted by cyberpioneer on Saturday, October 24, 2015
For two weeks in October, Singapore deployed a Chinook helicopter from The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and 34...
Posted by cyberpioneer on Tuesday, October 27, 2015
On 10 October 2015, Singapore sent a contingent of SAF and SCDF personnel to assist in fighting the ongoing forest fires...
Posted by cyberpioneer on Monday, December 7, 2015
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