Malaysia: Unhealthy API readings recorded in two states

The Star 3 Mar 14;

PETALING JAYA: Unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings were recorded in several areas in Selangor and Negri Sembilan as folks complained about the hazy sky.

Port Klang saw unhealthy levels of haze for the entire day yesterday, with a final reading of 118.

Seremban recorded an API reading of 111 as of 5pm, while Selangor’s Banting hit 108.

Putrajaya, too, was smog-ridden with a reading as high as 127 in the afternoon. It improved to 112 later.

According to the Department of Environment (DOE), an API reading of below 50 is regarded as good, 50-100 is moderate, 100-200 is unhealthy, 200-300 very unhealthy, and above 300 hazardous.

Other states in Malaysia were in the moderate and good range.

The Meteorological Department’s forecast director, Mohd Helmi Abdullah, said the haze was a normal occurrence during hot and dry seasons.

“It would probably stay on this level until the dry season ends,” he said, adding that the hazy condition was due to fires.

In George Town, the API readings for both Prai and Seberang Jaya at 5pm was at 64.

The DOE monitoring station at Universiti Sains Malaysia recorded 59 at 5pm.

Visibility in Bayan Lepas and Butterworth was at 6km at 7pm.

A DOE spokesman attributed the haze to smoke caused by forest fires on the mainland.

Bush, peat fires in Pahang under control
New Straits Times 3 Mar 14;

KUANTAN: Tireless efforts by firemen have helped control most of the bush and peat fires in several hot- spots here and in Pekan and Rompin yesterday.

Despite the past few days' sweltering heat and strong wind, firemen managed to contain the bush fires in Jalan Kuantan-Pekan near Penor here, which had destroyed more than 50ha of peat land.

A state Fire and Rescue Department operations centre spokesperson said less than 10ha of the areas were still on fire following continuous efforts by firemen to battle the bush fires.

"Strong wind and low-water pressure are the main challenges since firemen entered the affected area on Wednesday.

"They also have to use machetes to clear the path to enable fire engines to reach the areas," he said yesterday.

As of yesterday, other hot spots in Pahang were spotted along the Kuantan-Kuantan Port bypass road, near Sungai Ular here; Ne-nasi and Kampung Serambi (Pekan); and Ladang Sungai Penor (Rompin). Firemen were called in to douse the fires.