Indonesia: Haze Problems Heating Up As Dry Season Marches In

Dessy Sagita Jakarta Globe 4 Jul 11;

As the dry season begins to take hold, officials warned on Sunday that Sumatra’s notorious haze could once again invade the airspace of neighboring countries.

“We found 45 hot spots in Riau today, up from 21 yesterday,” Sanya Gautami, an analyst at the Riau branch of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), said on Sunday.

Sanya said the wind was blowing at about five to 20 kilometers per hour, usually considered too slow to cause significant problems in neighboring countries. But she added that the direction of the wind had enabled smoke to reach Malaysia and Singapore.

“Most of the hot spots were found in Rokan Hilir and Pelalawan,” she said. “Rokan Hilir is very close to Malaysia and Pelalawan is close to Pekanbaru. Once smoke reaches Pekanbaru, there’s a good chance it will reach Singapore.”

Sanya said flare-ups were also found in the Riau districts of Dumai, Kampar and Siak, but the smoke was not too thick and breezes were light. “If the wind starts moving at 70 kilometers per hour then we really have to be worried,” she said.

State news agency Antara reported that Dumai airport was blanketed by a thin smoke, although the haze was yet to affect any flights.

The BMKG had previously warned that approaching the peak of the dry season in July and August, when high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds are common, choking haze from forest fires could pose a major problem across the region.

Purwasto Saroprayogi, head of the department that deals with forest fires at the Environment Ministry, said the ministry had taken steps to anticipate wider haze. “When fires happen, the regional government holds the biggest responsibility to handle the problem, but we will assist them every step of the way,” he said.

Purwasto said the ministry had trained local governments and community members to respond to fires. If fires were severe, he added, the ministry would cooperate with the Forestry Ministry and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to handle their effects.

According to the Washington-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, of 31 hot spots recently recorded in Sumatra, 28 were located in Riau.

Last month, thick haze from forest fires in Riau caused some flights to be delayed. Haze also reached Malaysia and Singapore, forcing people to stay indoors.

Fire destroys hectares of peat forest in Riau
Antara 4 Jul 11;

Dumai, Riau (ANTARA News) - Tens of hectares of peat land have been gutted by fire at Medang Kampai, Dumai, Riau Province, over the past six days.

"Until now, the local authorities and land owners have not tried to put out the fire. The fire is getting bigger," Sugianto, a local resident said here Monday.

Sugianto suspected that the peat land was burned on purpose because he had seen three people starting a fire in the area a week ago, and the fire had been left unattended.

Hamzah, chairman of the People Care For Fire team at Medang Kampai sub district, was upset that the local authorities did not try to extinguish the fire.

"The government has just made promises. But so far no one has been assigned to anticipate the spreadin of the fire," he said.

Head of the Dumai forestry service Hadiono at a separate place said he had not yet received a report about the peat land fire. He said he would coordinate with local authorities to inspect the reported fire.

Meanwhile, the US National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA)`s Satellite 18 had detected seven hotspots in Riau, according to Riau`s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency (BMKG).

"There are seven hotspots in Sumatra, and all of them are in Riau, namely five in Rokan Hilir District, and two in Bengkalis, Sanya Gautami, a Riau BMKG analyst, said here over last weekend.

The number of hotspots had dropped significantly from a few days ago when 36 - 56 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, mostly in Riau island, he said.

The hotspots were previously not detected due to clouds over Riau.

"At the time, none of the hotspots was detected in Riau. But, starting Friday (July 1), hotspots were seen again," she said.

Until the next two days, most of Riau areas hardly has rains. "However, in several places there will be possibilities to local rains with low intensity," she said.
(Uu.F001/HAJM)

Editor: Priyambodo RH

Haze disturbs air traffic at Dumai's Airport
Antara 4 Jul 11;

Dumai, Riau (ANTARA News) - Haze from forest and plantation fires has forced the authorities of Pinang Kampai airport here to delay a flight for one hour.

The flight of a Pelita Air plane chartered by PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) and serving Dumai-Jakarta route was put off for one hour, Head of the Pinang Kampai Airport Irvan said here Monday.

"The chartered plane was supposed to come in at 7.30 am WIB (Western Indonesian Standard Time). However, because visibility was below 1,000 meters, it was ordered to postpone its arrival until 8.30 am WIB," he said.

At 8.30 am WIB, visibility improved to above 2,000 meters which was fit for flights. The wind which blew at over five kilometers per hour helped to disperse the haze.

On Sunday (July 3), Pinang Kampai airport was also covered by thick haze forcing delays in several flights.

The US National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA)`s Satellite 18 had detected seven hotspots in Riau, according to Riau`s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency (BMKG).

"There are seven hotspots in Sumatra, and all of them are in Riau, namely five in Rokan Hilir District, and two in Bengkalis, Sanya Gautami, a Riau BMKG analyst, said here Saturday.

The number of hotspots had dropped significantly from a few days ago when 36 - 56 hotspots were detected in Sumatra, mostly in Riau island, he said.

The hotspots were previously not detected due to clouds over Riau.

"At the time, none of the hotspots was detected in Riau. But, starting Friday (July 1), hotspots were seen again," she said.

Until the next two days, most of Riau areas hardly has rains. "However, in several places there will be possibilities to local rains with low intensity," she said.
(Uu.F001/AHAJM)

Editor: Priyambodo RH

Haze in Dumai could claim lives
Antara 4 Jul 11;

Dumai, Riau (ANTARA News) - Health authorities in Dumai have warned the public that the air quality in the region has deteriorated due to haze containing excessive sulfur dioxide which is hazardous to human health.

The Air Pollution Standard Index board owned by PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) showed the pollutant standard index at 242 meaning a very dangerous level, Head of the Dumai Health Service Marjoko Santoso said here Monday.

"We have to be careful with such a condition because the air is containing hazardous substance which could harm the people`s health, and even cause death for those chronically affected," he said.

The air condition in Dumai has been very dangerous for people of all walks of life, he said, adding that it could be worse for those having respiratory problems.

Those inhaling the haze could get blockage of blood cells, he said.

"If this condition continues, there is a possibility tht it will claim one`s live," he said.

The Dumai health service plans to distribute 4,000 facemasks free of charge especially to pedestrians and motorists.

Every community health centers in Dumai will also get 500 facemasks for patients with respiratory problems.

Dumai`s residents have complained about haze entering their houses.

"This morning, the haze is very thick. It gets worse as the haze enters the house and produces smell causing shortness of breath," Diana, a local resident, said.

Bambang, another Dumai inhabitant, said he panicked when his house was filled with haze.

"We panic because even when we don`t go out, the haze disturbs us," he said.

Haze covering Dumai and surrounding areas come from forest and plantation fires.

Most of the forest and plantation fires in Indonesia are man-made. Fire is the cheapest and the only available tool for smallholders to reduce vegetation cover and to prepare and fertilize soils.
(Uu.F001/HAJM)

Editor: Priyambodo RH