Proactively minimising the risk of vegetation fires

Question:

Mr Vikram Nair: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the increase in the number of vegetation fires since 2022 as well as the increase in Singapore's annual average temperature over the years, whether the SCDF is taking precautionary steps aimed at reducing vegetation fires.


Answer:

Mr Goh Pei Ming, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development:

1. Climate change has resulted in drier and hotter weather in recent years, increasing the risks of wildfire. The SCDF leads an inter-agency Wildfire Task Force, comprising members from relevant agencies such as SLA, NParks, NEA, and PUB, to proactively minimise the risk of vegetation fires.

2. The Wildfire Task Force actively monitors weather patterns and initiates preventive measures ahead of anticipated dry spells. These measures include identifying potential hotspots such as areas with dense vegetation for closer monitoring, watering and trimming of overgrown vegetation, creating ‘fire breaks’ or buffer zones to prevent fire spread during vegetation fires, and educating the public not to indiscriminately discard lighted materials such as cigarette butts onto grass patches.