After Friday prayers at a nearby Mosque around Tampine interchange, a STOMPer was shocked to see a big tree crack and fall onto a dozen motorbikes.
In an email to STOMP, he recounts his experience.
"It was just after Friday prayers and the crowd was leaving the mosque when the first few people suddenly stopped in disbelief.
"A big tree cracked and fell on a dozen bikes crashing them to the ground and causing serious damage."
STOMPer global netizen saw these beautiful pink and white flowers at the Choa Chu Kang Christian cemetery and wondered whether they were the famous Japanese cherry blossoms, known as sakura.
This STOMPer says:
"Sakura in Singapore? So nice and beautiful.
"It can be seen at the Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery foot path, once a year.
"This is the season to see such a beautiful scene. It is so peaceful and tender.
"It is not the real sakura, but it is white and pink. Anyone knows what kind of flower is this?"
The second phase in the 1980s saw planting of species with colourful flowers like the yellow flame (Peltophorum pterocarpum) with its numerous yellow blooms, flame-of-the-forest (Delonix regia) with its scarlet flowers which can be seen from great distances, rose of India (Lagerstroemia speciosa) with its bluish purple flowers, golden shower (Cassia fistula) with its striking, numerous blooms like hanging streamers, mempat (Cratoxylum formosum or Cratoxylum cochinchinense) which shed their leaves and then produce numerous pink blooms in the whole crown like a local version of the cherry blossom, trumpet tree (Tabebuia rosea) which produces heavy flushes of white or light to dark pink flowers, etc. This colour exercise met patchy success as many of these species required strong seasonal cues to flower, being native to more seasonal climes, unlike the rather aseasonal Singapore climate, so colour was not always on tap, unless an atypical drought period was experienced locally, then trees would synchronously bloom in the following wet period.
We have heard of instant coffee and instant photographs. So why not instant trees to help beautify out city, says a STOMPer.
He says:
"This picture was taken at Queen Street where a new building was nearing completion.
"The new building is surrounded by Queen Street, Manila Street and Victoria Street.
"I saw some workers unloading the so-called 'instant trees' from a lorry and placing them on the sidewalk.
"The trees had short roots and the bases were covered with black plastic bags to hold the soil in place.
"As the newly-planted trees did not have strong roots, they were held in position by supporting them with wooden poles tied to the stems.
"Later when the trees are fully grown and leaves have sprouted the poles will be removed.
"Those trees planted a few weeks earlier had already sprouted new leaves.
"If we can have instant coffee and instant photographs, why not instant trees to bring some greenery to our concrete jungle."
STOMPer Dave saw this dead bird in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9 and wonders how it died.
He said:
"I spotted this dead bird along Ang Mo Kio Ave 9, opposite a police station.
"I wonder how it died."
How did these two trees come to share a single root? That's what STOMPer Jerry wants to know after spotting the conjoined trees in Yishun Park.
He says in an e-mail dated February 20:
"Please see these pictures.
"I found these two trees in Yishun Park.
"It seems like both tall old trees have merged their roots. Or were they twins in the first place?
"How is the water distributed within the roots?
"Not sure how this could have happened."
Do you have any idea? Let us know.
STOMPer Wen Bin recently took a trip down to the picturesque Henderson Waves and Forest Walk. He sent in these stunning pictures to share.
Here's what he wrote in an email today (Feb 20).
"I would like to share some selected shots I took at Henderson Waves and Forest Walk.
"This is a great place for destressing and having a workout.
"I highly recommend it for nature lovers."
A STOMPer says these overhanging branches along a sidewalk at Mount Faber are a nuisance to pedestrians.
He says:
"I was walking from the Southern Ridge to Mount Faber along this pavement. The branches were so long that you can find ants and other insects falling on your head.
"Why have they been left uncut for so long?"
Kudos to the firefighters and personnel handling the forest fires at the Bukit Batok area, because according to STOMPer Ming, they were not easy to put out.
In an email to STOMP today (Feb 19), the STOMPer wrote:
"Great job done by all the firefighters and personnel handling the fire at Bukit Batok forest area under sudden and difficult environment.
"The pictures shows just how extend the fire ravage the trees with such intense ferocity.
"It can be clearly seen that the second day of the fire was much more damaging and difficult to contain.
"Hope this is a good eye-opener for everyone in Singapore that a fire can be very dangerous when it gets out of control."
The STOMPer sent in these pictures of the fire and the aftermath.
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
- We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel
STOMPer Alan captured these photos of what seemed to be a reddish-looking sun from his home in Joo Seng Road at about 8.30am yesterday (Feb 17).
Could the recent bush-fires and haze be the cause of this, he wonders.
He says:
"The recent haze and bush-fires may have caused the sun to turn dark red in the morning and also carries an halo.
"It is a phenomenon you don't see often."
White light coming from the Sun contains all colors of light from red to blue. The molecules in Earth's atmosphere do not scatter much of the red light, but they do scatter a significant amount of blue light. This effect causes the blue sky.
These molecules scattering light also cause the Sun to appear redder than it really is. When the Sun is high in the sky the amount of reddening is small. However the Sun will still appear redder from the ground than from space because the atmosphere scatters some of the blue light.
When the Sun is low in the sky, much more of the blue light coming from the Sun is scattered away from the direct path towards our eyes. Hence the Sun will appear very red when it is low in the sky.
[...]
The effect can increase when the Sun sets or rises over a large city. Pollution particles increase the effect by scattering or absorbing more blue light than red light.
They said someday you'll find
All who love are blind
Oh, when your heart's on fire
You must realise
Smoke gets in your eyes
- Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by The Platters
Although the fire that occurred in Bukit Batok on February 16 was put out, another broke out on February 17. STOMPer Geok Cheng took this video of the second fire to show fellow STOMPers the severity of the second bush-fire.
Geok Cheng says:
"Here are some photos and a video of the fire that broke out on February 17 2009, at Bukit Batok around 4.30pm.
"This is the second time a fire broke out in the Bukit Batok forest. The first occurred on February 16 2009.
"Hope these photos are of some use.
"Photos taken from Block 122 Bukit Batok Central."
I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter
You're the firestarter, twisted firestarter
I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter
- Firestarter by The Prodigy
The bush-fire at Bukit Batok was so large that firemen had to work extra hard and take turns having their dinner on-site to ensure that it was put out, says STOMPer WS.
The fire had been put out earlier on Tuesday morning (February 17) but started again in the afternoon.
This time round, the fire had spread towards the road and caused the Bukit Batok neighbourhood to be covered in soot and smoke.
WS says in an e-mail dated February 17:
"Bukit Batok hilltop fire was put out this morning. At 1pm, at the same spot, the fire started again. This time, it spread out near the road. The whole of Bukit Batok is now smoky and smelly.
"Ashes were all around. Curious people were looking out to the dense smoke.
"The firemen linked all their hoses together so that they can reach the tree top.
"Situation was finally controlled in the later afternoon around 5pm to 6pm. However, the firemen had to take turns to have their dinner at the void deck to ensure fires in all spots are fully put out."
The roof the roof the roof is on fire
We don't need no water let the motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
Burn motherfucker burn
The roof the roof the roof is on fire
- The Roof Is On Fire by The Grim Reaper
When STOMPer Chua looked out of the window at his Bukit Batok Central flat, he was shocked to be greeted by a cloud of dust and smoke.
A fire had broken out in the forested area nearby and caused a thick cloud of smoke to rise.
The fire, which started before 3:30pm on February 17, had not been put out one and a half hours later.
Chua says:
"I thought they were fogging the area with insecticide at first but when I opened the window I realised that there was a huge fire.
"There is a lot of smoke and the fire is spreading to the other corner.
"I did not see any fire engines until 4:15pm, when a small truck arrived with a few men. They did not seem to be able to handle the fire very well. It didn’t seem like they could put it out.
"Until now, the fire is still spreading.
"My house is covered in soot and dust now."
Related story:
S'poreans concerned about Aussie-type fire disaster here
We on fire
Up in here, it's burning hot
We on fire
Shorty take it off if it get too hot, up in this spot
We on fire
Tear the roof off this motherfucker, light the roof on fire
Nigga what you say
We get loose in this motherfucker, light the roof on fire
- On Fire by Lloyd Banks
As the bushfires in Australia cause a staggering amount of damage to lives and property, Singaporeans have become concerned about the vegetation fires that have erupted here.
On Feb 12, STOMPer YW posted an article upon discovering the bushes all cleared along Upper Serangoon Road, leaving only ashes in its wake.
More recently, there was another fire at Bukit Batok on the evening of Feb 16, and four STOMPers emailed STOMP. Ming commented that although the fire was contained, it erupted into huge fireballs several times.
As for STOMPer WS, he expressed his confusion about how the fire started, as it had been raining beforehand.
STOMP contacted SCDF and this was their reply to the Bukit Batok fire on Feb 16:
"The fire was located on the top of the hill, rendering it difficult to access.
"The affected area was the size of two basketball courts.
"The fire was under control approximately 30 minutes after SCDF arrived on the scene."
When questioned about people's concerns that this could turn into an Aussie-type fire disaster, SCDF had this to say:
"This fire was different to deal with as it was on top of a hill.
"We do have an advisory for people to follow.
"One, do not throw lighted materials such as cigarettes in fields and rubbish dumps.
"Two, do not dispose rubbish in open fields and gardens. Rubbish dumps provide fuel to sustain fires.
"Three, households with gardens should keep the grass watered.
"Four, incense papers should be burned in the bins provided and kept a safe distance away from combustible materials.
"When the ritual is over, the surroundings should be checked for smouldering remains to ensure that materials are completely extinguished."
Read their articles:
"Terrifying to see huge balls of fire in S'pore"
Bukit Batok bushfire a surreal experience for fire safety engineer
Bushfire starts despite earlier rain
Firemen battle hilltop bush-fire in Bukit Batok
Look at the damage wreaked by S'pore's own bush-fire in Sengkang
Yet another bush-fire at Bukit Batok
When I'm on fire
When you're near me
I'm on fire
When you speak
And I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries
Mysteries...
- On Fire by Switchfoot