Singapore haze: Air quality very unhealthy in central region; PM2.5 reading high in east

At 6am, the 24-hour PSI in central Singapore was 221, while readings in the rest of the country were at the unhealthy level, ranging from 145 to 193.

A view of the haze from a cable car on Oct 14, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

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SINGAPORE: Twenty-four -hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings rose overnight across Singapore, with the reading in the central region reaching the "very unhealthy" level at midnight on Friday (Oct 16).

The 1-hour PM2.5 reading in the eastern region jumped into the high band at 5am, and stood at 160 at 6am.

Hourly PM2.5 readings in other regions were in the elevated band, ranging from 99 to 150.

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Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday that Singapore is looking into which companies may be responsible for the forest and peatland fires in Indonesia that have caused the worsening haze .

"Where warranted, we will take action under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, and explore joint action with other countries," he said in a social media post. On Thursday, the 24-hour PSI peaked at 212 in the west – a new high for Singapore this year. On Wednesday, 1-hour PM2.5 readings spiked around the country , with the reading in the west rising to a level not seen in Singapore since 2015. It stood in the very high band for most of the hours from 2pm to 8pm, peaking at 288

During a severe haze episode in October 2015, Singapore recorded an hourly PM2.5 reading of 471 in the western region at 11pm on Oct 19.

It is the highest reading in the publicly available log of hourly PM2.5 readings published by the National Environment Agency (NEA), which dates back to April 2014.

The government on Wednesday brought forward the phased distribution of masks to vulnerable Singaporeans after the PM2.5 reading in the west reached the very high band.

The Haze Task Force had earlier said last Friday that N95 masks would be distributed to more vulnerable individuals when the 24-hour PSI exceeded 200 and entered the very unhealthy range.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said the mask distribution exercise was launched early because the government had forecast that 1-hour PM2.5 readings were "likely to continue spiking". This would bring up 24-hour PSI readings as well.

Haze shelters at community clubs and selected Residents' Committee and Residents' Network centres have also been set up.

N95 mask distribution will commence in phases at community clubs and haze mask vending machines at selected public transport hubs, social service offices and People's Association venues, NEA said.

The masks will be made available progressively at designated collection points and may not be immediately available at all locations, the agency added.

"The vending machines are being progressively deployed across the island from this evening and stocks will be replenished progressively and regularly," it said.

Members of the public can visit the HazeMaskGoWhere website for more information on collection locations and live updates on mask availability at the vending machines.

"Members of the public are encouraged to check the website for availability before heading to a collection point," NEA said.

NEA also noted that N95 masks may be unavailable at some retail outlets due to a spike in demand, but said that "there are sufficient stocks of N95 masks in retailers' warehouses and government stockpiles".

"The Haze Task Force is working closely with retailers to replenish stocks and ensure the availability of N95 masks to the public," the agency added.

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早上 6 点，新加坡市中心 24 小时 PSI 指数为 221，而该国其他地区的读数处于不健康水平，范围从 145 到 193。

2026年10月14日，从缆车上看到的雾霾景象。（图片：CNA/Jeremy Long）

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新加坡：新加坡24小时污染物标准指数（PSI）读数一夜之间在全国范围内上升，中部地区的读数在周五（10月16日）午夜达到“非常不健康”的水平。

东部地区 1 小时 PM2.5 读数在早上 5 点跃升至高位，早上 6 点达到 160。

其他地区的 PM2.5 小时读数处于较高水平，范围从 99 到 150。

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新加坡总理黄循财周四表示，新加坡正在调查哪些公司可能应对印尼森林和泥炭地火灾负责，这些火灾导致了日益严重的雾霾。

他在社交媒体上发文称：“如有必要，我们将根据新加坡《跨境烟霾污染法》采取行动，并探讨与其他国家采取联合行动。”周四，新加坡西部24小时空气污染指数（PSI）峰值达到212，创下今年新高。周三，全国各地PM2.5一小时浓度飙升，西部地区的浓度更是达到新加坡自2015年以来的最高水平。从下午2点到晚上8点的大部分时间里，PM2.5浓度都处于极高水平，峰值达到288。

2015 年 10 月，新加坡遭遇严重雾霾天气，10 月 19 日晚上 11 点，西部地区的 PM2.5 小时读数达到 471。

这是国家环境局 (NEA) 公布的公开的每小时 PM2.5 读数记录中的最高读数，该记录可追溯至 2014 年 4 月。

周三，新加坡西部地区的 PM2.5 读数达到非常高的水平后，政府提前分阶段向弱势新加坡人分发口罩。

雾霾工作组上周五曾表示，当 24 小时 PSI 超过 200 并进入非常不健康的范围时，将向更易感人群分发 N95 口罩。

永续及环境部长傅海燕表示，之所以提前启动口罩派发活动，是因为政府预测1小时PM2.5读数“可能继续飙升”。这将推高24小时PSI读数。

社区俱乐部和部分居民委员会及居民网络中心也设立了烟雾避难所。

国家环境局表示，N95口罩将分阶段在民众俱乐部发放，并在指定的公共交通枢纽、社会服务办公室和人民协会场所设置防雾霾口罩自动售货机。

该机构补充说，口罩将陆续在指定的领取点提供，但可能不会立即在所有地点都有供应。

声明称：“从今晚开始，自动售货机将逐步部署在全岛各地，商品也将逐步定期补充。”

公众可以访问 HazeMaskGoWhere 网站，了解更多关于口罩收集地点和自动售货机口罩供应情况的实时更新信息。

国家环境局表示：“鼓励公众在前往领取点之前，先查看网站上的领取情况。”

国家环境局还指出，由于需求激增，一些零售店可能买不到 N95 口罩，但表示“零售商的仓库和政府储备中有足够的 N95 口罩”。

“雾霾应对工作组正与零售商密切合作，补充库存，确保公众能够获得N95口罩，”该机构补充道。

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