The Star 19 Mar 19;
PETALING JAYA: It is getting hotter by the day with temperatures in the peninsula “boiling” between 35°C and 40°C.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has put a district in Kedah on Level 2 heatwave alert while 23 districts in seven states and one federal territory in the peninsula are on Level 1 after temperatures increased.
Pendang in Kedah is the only district placed on Level 2 alert after recording temperatures between 37°C and 40°C.
The 23 areas in the seven states are Chuping in Perlis; Kota Setar, Sik, Baling and Kulim in Kedah; Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta and Batang Padang in Perak; and Jerantut, Raub, Temerloh, Maran and Bentong in Pahang.
“The hot weather is due to the lack of cloud cover and low rainfall during the end of the north-east monsoon,” said MetMalaysia director-general Datuk Alui Bahari.
He said such extreme temperatures were usual during the end of the north-east monsoon period, adding that the heatwave was expected to subside next month with more rainfall.
He added that Malaysia was experiencing a weak El Nino (irregular weather phenomenon) but did not expect it to be as severe as the 2016 El Nino.
“The highest daily temperature recorded was 40.1°C in Chuping on April 9, 1998, during the 1997-1998 Super El Nino,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Water Services Commission reiterated its advice for people to conserve water during the hot spell.
“We have been advising the people since February to use water wisely,” it said.
On the MetMalaysia Facebook page, Malaysians were seen reminding each other to take care during the heatwave.
“Woah heatwave! Drink lots of water ya,” Fadhil Saufi said.
“The weather in Penaga is so hot even my cat is running into the bedroom to find a cool place to relax,” Putera Katak said.
Sarawak battling to contain bushfires
The Star 19 Mar 19;
MIRI: Firefighters in Sarawak are battling bushfires that have spread in nine districts over the past 24 hours.
Hotspots have been detected even in the night and pre-dawn hours, and firefighters are working hard to contain these fires.
Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department, in its latest updates yesterday, reported wildfires in Miri, Kuala Baram, Tatau, Marudi, Bario, Limbang (all in northern Sarawak), Mukah, Daro (central Sarawak) and Sri Aman (southern Sarawak).
In Miri and Kuala Baram, there are eight different locations where these wildfires had burned, said Miri fire chief Supt Law Poh Kiong.
More than 40.4ha of forested bush land have been razed in Kuala Baram and Miri.
Wildfires are flaring up again as the hot weather continues.
Many of these fires are caused by deliberate open burning to clear the land.
Pahang open fires increase by 262% due to dry days
The Star 19 Mar 19;
KUANTAN: Days without rain have resulted in an increase of open fires in Pahang. The State Fire and Rescue Department said they received 680 reports up to yesterday.
This shows an increase of 262% compared with the same period last year, which had only 188 cases.
“Kuantan recorded the highest number at 321, while Pekan had 152 cases and Temerloh 131.
“To tackle this, the department has activated the haze operations room at Pahang headquarters since March 17,” it said in a statement.
The seven areas affected by fires were Pulau Serai in Peramu, Sungai Miang forest, Pekan Timur plantations and Jalan Pekan-Nenasi in Pekan, areas near the Nenasi-Rompin border as well as Bukit Palas and the Gebeng industrial area in Kuantan.
The fire at the Nenasi-Rompin border appeared to be quite serious with some 20ha of forest already burnt.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Nor Hisham Mohammad said the air pollutant index readings in Rompin had a high of 279 at 3am yesterday.
‘Stop open burning in current dry spell’
The Star 18 Mar 19;
KOTA KINABALU: Firemen in the state are battling an average of 40 open burning cases and bushfires daily due to the dry spell, said Sabah Fire and Rescue Department operations centre officer Mohd Hasbi Hajat.
He said that such cases had tripled since January and measures must be put in place to keep the situation in check.
“I hope people will stop open burning as this only makes the situation worse,” he said.
Mohd Hasbi said that the districts with the highest number of bushfires and open burning cases are Tuaran with 103 cases, followed by Keningau (64), Penampang (55), Kota Kinabalu (54), Papar (46), Tawau (44), and Kota Belud and Sandakan (42 each).
“From the latest statistics, 374 are bushfires while 231 are forest fires,” he said, adding that the other cases involved fires at plantations, padi fields and rubbish dumps.
He said that there was also an increase in fires destroying structures such as houses and commercial buildings.
In the latest case at a water village in Kampung Air Sandakan yesterday, over 30 houses were destroyed and one man was injured in the 5.30am incident.
Mohd Hasbi said that the challenges faced by firemen in responding to these cases include the difficulty in accessing higher ground, lack of or no water supply due to the absence of fire hydrants and no open water sources from lakes, rivers or drains due to the dry spell.
Sabah Health and People’s Wellbeing Minister Datuk Stephen Wong urged the public to refrain from open burning and to keep themselves hydrated.
“We must do all we can to minimise health hazards,” he said, adding that people should reduce outdoor activities as well.
He said that though there has been an improvement in the air quality and haze situation, it could get worse if preventive measures are not taken.
“We have sent reminders to all districts, instructing them to keep a close watch on illnesses or cases that are related to the hot weather,” Wong said.
A check on the Department of Environment website showed that the Air Pollutant Index reading for Sabah is at a moderate level of between 52 and 84 as of 1.30pm yesterday.
Tour operators urged to keep track of haze situation
Azura Abas New Straits Times 18 Mar 19;
PUTRAJAYA: Tour operators are being urged to keep tabs on the haze situation and provide face masks if necessary.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi, who made the call today, also urging everybody, including visitors, to keep themselves updated on the Malaysian Air Pollutant Index at (Apims).
“The public, especially children, senior citizens and those with health problems, are advised to wear face masks and limit their involvement in outdoor activities.”
Mohamaddin said the ministry was keeping a close watch of the situation, especially at tourist attractions, including Banting, Selangor and Rompin, Pahang.
“Banting has recorded unhealthy API (Air Pollutant Index) at 104 and Rompin at 176 as of 3pm (on Monday).”
Apims categorises API reading of between 0-50 as good, 51-100 as moderate, 101-200 as “unhealthy”, 201-300 as very unhealthy, and 300 and above as hazardous.
‘Unhealthy’ haze returns to Rompin, other areas
The Star 19 Mar 19;
PETALING JAYA: On top of the scorching heat, Malaysians may also have to battle the haze which appears to be slowly setting into the country.
Shah Alam and Banting in Selangor, and Rompin in Pahang, encountered hazy weather as its Air Pollutant Index (API) breached the 100 mark.
On Sunday night and early Monday morning, Rompin saw an API that reached levels between 250 and 270, which is categorised as “very unhealthy.”
The highest API level in Rompin over the past several days was recorded at 279 as of 3am on Monday, with its folk waking up to an API level of 196 at 7am.
API levels in Shah Alam on Sunday night passed well over the 100-mark threshold , which is classified as “unhealthy.”
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The levels were between 130 and 160 on Sunday night, with the highest level recorded at 161 as of 9pm.
The air quality significantly improved at about 2am on Monday, with its API dipping below the 100 mark.
At press time, the API level in Shah Alam was classified as being moderate. Banting also saw its API level tip over the 100-mark at 10pm on Sunday.
On Saturday morning, Kota Kinabalu and Kimanis saw its API levels rise between 110 and 140.
The API measures the air quality in Malaysia, and also reflects its effect on human health ranging from good to hazardous.
API levels of 0 to 50 are considered “good”, levels of 51 to 100 are considered “moderate”, 101 to 200 considered “unhealthy”, 201 to 300 “very unhealthy”, with a reading of over 301 considered “hazardous”.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/03/19/unhealthy-haze-returns-to-rompin-other-areas/#tD18rXJy2JOjmy6R.99
Air quality in Rompin, Banting reach 'unhealthy' levels
SAMEER AHMED SHAIKH New Straits Times 18 Mar 19;
KUALA LUMPUR: Unhealthy air quality levels have been recorded in Rompin, Pahang and Banting, Selangor as of 7pm today.
A check with the Department of Environment’s Apims website showed that Rompin recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 173, while Banting registered a reading of 111.
An API reading exceeding 100 indicates “unhealthy” air quality.
Images captured by New Straits Times photographers also showed haze in several areas in the country.
However, compared to earlier readings, both areas have shown a slight improvement. At 3am, Rompin had recorded a “very unhealthy” reading of 279, while Banting’s highest reading was at 5pm (114).
Also showing improvement is Shah Alam, Selangor, which recorded a reading of 95, with the highest reading reaching 124 at 1am.
Air quality readings in the rest of the nation were in the “moderate” range, with Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan registering an API of 99; followed by Alor Gajah, Melaka (95); Bukit Rambai, Melaka (94); and Putrajaya and Klang, Selangor (both 93).
Only Tawau and Sandakan, Sabah recorded healthy readings throughout the day as of 7pm.
Air quality in Pasir Gudang, which is in the midst of a chemical pollution crisis, recorded an API of just 59.
An API reading of between 0 and 50 is categorised as “good”; 51-100 as “moderate”; 101-200 as “unhealthy”; 201-300 as “very unhealthy”; and 300 and above as “hazardous.”
A view of Putrajaya which recorded a moderate air quality reading. -NSTP/LUQMAN HAKIM ZUBIR
Earlier today, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi urged tour operators to keep tabs on the latest haze situation and to provide face masks to tourists if necessary.
He also urged the public, especially children, senior citizens and those with health problems to wear face masks when outside and to limit outdoor activities.
Ketapi also said the ministry is keeping a close watch on the haze situation amidst the ongoing heatwave and dry spell nationwide.
Air quality in Rompin and Banting reach unhealthy level
Dawn Chan, Mohd Syahmi Rasydan Shamlin New Straits Times 18 Mar 19;
KUALA LUMPUR: The air quality in Rompin, Pahang and Banting, Selangor have reached the unhealthy level of the Air Pollutant Index (API) of the Department of Environment.
A reading at the Rompin API station as of 9am showed that the API had touched 171 on the scale, whereas it has reached 102 in Banting.
Another 62 API stations nationwide recorded moderate reading, while only two stations saw good air quality. No stations registered a hazardous reading.
An API reading between 0 and 50 is good, 51 to 100 is moderate, while 100 to 200 is classified as unhealthy, 200 to 300 as very unhealthy and more than 300 is hazardous.
Meanwhile, nine states in the peninsula are reported to be at Level 1 alert while Pendang in Kedah is at Level 2 (Heatwave) with temperatures between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius.
Based on a Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) update, as at 5.20pm yesterday, 21 areas are at Level 1 with temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius.
The areas listed are Chuping in Perlis; Kota Setar, Sik, Baling and Kulim (Kedah); Hulu Perak, Kuala Kangsar, Kinta and Batang Padang (Perak); Jerantut, Raub, Temerloh, Maran and Bentong (Pahang); Sepang and Petaling (Selangor).
Also listed are Port Dickson (Negri Sembilan), Melaka Tengah (Melaka), Tangkak in Johor and Kuala Lumpur.
The heatwave is expected to last for three consecutive days.
Meanwhile, Sabah and Sarawak recorded daily maximum temperatures of less than 35 degrees Celsius.
Rompin air quality shows improvement in API reading
T.N. Alagesh New Straits Times 18 Mar 19;
KUANTAN: The air quality in Rompin which breached the "very unhealthy" level yesterday has begun to show signs of improvement since this morning.
According to the Department of Environment's Air Pollutant Index (API), the air quality level reached 279 at 3am today due to the hazy conditions in the district.
It had crossed the unhealthy level since 11am yesterday gradually increasing from 254 to 279 before dropping to 196 at 7am today.
State Fire and Rescue Department director Nor Hisham Mohammad said the poor air quality was caused by the peat and bush fires on the district.
'We have managed to douse the fire yesterday but it mainly depends on the direction of the wind. The smoke haze is carried by winds from the source to other areas," he said when met.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said as of noon today, Rompin has shown minimum progress as the air quality was recorded between 170 and 180 mainly because of the wind and smoke direction.
He assured that the situation on the ground was under control and firemen have been deployed to continuously monitor certain areas where fire incident could reoccur due to the hot spell.
At 1pm, Rompin and Banting, Selangor are the only two districts in the country which remains in the "unhealthy" range.
The air pollution level is categorised as good from zero to 50, moderate (51-100), unhealthy (101-200), very unhealthy (201-300) and hazardous (301 and more).
Over 6,500 fires recorded nationwide in 2019; most man-made
Abdul Razak Raaff New Straits Times 18 Mar 19;
KUANTAN: Up to 6,566 fire incidents were recorded at farms, forests, bush areas and rubbish dumps nationwide in the first two months of this year.
According to the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia’s (JBPM) director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid, most of the fires were sparked by human activity, which include improper disposal of cigarettes, careless dumping of gas canisters by picnickers, and deliberate small-scale open burning.
"However, in the current hot spell, any uncontrolled burning activity is prohibited, as it can also contribute to air pollution and haze.
"Our officers and staff nationwide have been instructed to be on the alert. The logistics and human resources at 16 operational centres nationwide are ready to handle open burning cases.
"The Air Unit is also all geared up. If needed, we can mobilise their services from bases in Subang, Selangor and Bertam, Melaka," Mohammad Hamdan told a press conference at the presentation of medals and excellent service awards at the Pahang JBPM headquarters here, today.
Also present were Pahang Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department director Nor Hisham Mohammad and his deputy Mohd Sani Harul.
Mohammad Hamdan said that as of March 17, 680 cases of open burning were detected in Pahang – constituting a rise of 262 per cent compared to the same period in 2018.
He said that Kuantan recorded the most number of cases of open burning at 321, followed by Pekan (152) and Temerloh (131).
Hamdan added that the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department activated its Haze Operation Room at the JBPM Pahang headquarters yesterday.
"Following that, the rotation of duties at all fire departments in three districts – namely Kuantan, Pekan and Rompin – involving nine stations, will be temporarily expanded from 12 hours to 24 hours, to increase on-duty staffing.
"Currently, 245 personnel are being assisted by 13 individuals from external agencies in putting out fires which were deliberately set in the three districts, including in forests in Permatang Nangka, Pulau Serai, Peramu; the Miang River forest; the Pekan Timur farm; the Nenasi-Rompin border forest in Bebar district; and the Pekan and Bukit Palas forests in Gebeng, Kuantan," Hamdan added.
