A Strange Phenomenon

As fires rage across Indonesia's Sumatra island, just to our west, the excessive amounts of smoke have billowed their way over Singapore and Malaysia, causing the worse air quality Singapore has ever had. The air quality index hit 130 yesterday - 100 is a healthy limit. Singapore's government has offered its military to fly over the burning areas, seeding the clouds for rain, but it is too dry to produce enough clouds. I'm wondering why they aren't trying that here in Singapore though. It is supposed to rain tonight. If it does, we will have temporary relief. They expect the fires to continue to burn until the monsoon season begins next month, despite all their efforts to control the blaze.

I've never seen anything like it in Singapore. It's like being in any major city in China in terms of visibility. Our friends are complaining that they can't breathe, and they won't let their children go outside. For us, this just feels like living back in China. But I do hope it ends soon.