Indonesia: Haze-induced visibility impairment in Pekanbaru reaches two kilometers

Antara 6 Aug 19;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - Haze, arising from forest fires, has lowered visibility in Pekanbaru, Riau Province, to two kilometers, or two thousand meters, according to information from the Pekanbaru meteorology, climatology, and geophysics station.

"The visibility was only two kilometers this morning, at 7 a.m. local time, due to haze," Sanya Gautami, the station's analyst, remarked here on Tuesday.

Haze has shrouded Pekanbaru and several other regions in Riau over the last two weeks, Gautami added.

In Dumai City and Pelalawan District, the visibility was only three kilometers, she remarked.

Related news: Pekanbaru shrouded in haze from forest fire
Related news: 700 Pekanbaru inhabitants suffer from respiratory illness due to haze

In the meantime, the Terra and Aqua Satellite detected 152 hotspots indicating forest and peatland fires on Sumatra Island on Tuesday morning.

A total of 75 hotspots were detected in Riau, 10 in Aceh, seven in Jambi, two in West Sumatra, five in Lampung, 25 in South Sumatra, 18 in North Sumatra, and 10 in Bangka Belitung.

In Riau, the hotspots were found in nine districts and municipalities, including 24 in Rokan Hilir, 17 in Pelalawan, 25 in Indragiri Hilir, nine in Siak, three each in Bengkalis and Kampar, two in Meranti, and one each in Dumai and Kuansing.

Of the total 75 hotspots in Riau, 53 were believed to be fire spots, with a confidence rate of between 70 percent and 100 percent.

At least 19 fire spots were found in Rokan Hilir, 13 in Pelalawan, 12 in Indragiri Hilir, five in Siak, and two each in Bengkalis and Kampar.

Since January 2019, fires have gutted 4,390 hectares of Riau's forest and peatland areas, particularly in Bengkalis, Rokan Hilir, Dumai, Siak Pelalawan, Kampar, and Indragiri Hilir.

Some 700 people in Pekanbaru suffered from respiratory illness, as haze from forest fires shrouded the city over the past two weeks.

The authorities have advised locals to remain indoors to prevent the insidious effects of haze on their health, Yohanes, secretary of the Riau Health Office, remarked here on Sunday.

At least 10 thousand face masks were distributed to motorbike riders, drivers, and pedestrians.

Reporter: Nathisha A, Fardah
Editor: Sri Haryati

Satellites identify 152 hotspots on Sumatra Island
Antara 6 Aug 19;

Three days ago, I had called the BNPB (National Disaster Mitigation Office) chief, commander of the National Defense Forces (TNI), and the National Police chief to deal with (the fires) in Riau, Palangka Raya, immediately
Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - The Terra and Aqua Satellites, on Tuesday, at 6 a.m. local time, detected 152 hotspots on Sumatra Island, including 75 in Riau Province, according to the Pekanbaru meteorology, climatology and geophysics station.

"Riau had the largest number of hotspots reaching 75," Gita Dewi Siregar, an analyst at the station, remarked here on Tuesday.

Some 10 hotspots were observed in Aceh, seven in Jambi, two in West Sumatra, five in Lampung, 25 in South Sumatra, 18 in North Sumatra, and 10 in Bangka Belitung.

In Riau, 25 hotspots were found in Rokan Hilir District, 17 in Pelalawan, 15 in Indragiiri Hilir, nine in Siak, three in Bengkalis, two in Meranti Islands, three in Kampar, and one each in Dumai and Kauntan Singingi.

Of the total 75 hotspots, 53 were confirmed to be fire spots, with 19 found in Rokan Hilir, 13 in Pelalawan, 12 in Indragiri Hilir, five in Siak, and two each in Kampar and Bengkalis.

Haze, arising from forest and peatland fires in Pelalawan, Siak, and Indragiri Hilir, over the last two weeks has shrouded Pekanbaru.

"Pekanbaru has been covered by haze, thereby reducing visibility to two kilometers," he stated.

Some 700 people in Pekanbaru suffered from respiratory illness as haze from forest fires has blanketed the city over the last several days.

The authorities had warned the local residents to remain indoors to prevent the dire impact of haze on their health, Yohanes, secretary of the Riau Health Office, noted here on Sunday.

At least 10 thousand face masks were distributed to motorbike riders, drivers and pedestrians.

Indonesia is currently experiencing a severe dry spell, induced by El Nino phenomenon. Until July 17, land and forest fires in the country had covered 42,740.42 hectares in 24 provinces. Nearly 99 percent of the fires were triggered by intentional or accidental human activities, Agus Wibowo, spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), stated.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has issued orders to immediately extinguish the forest fires raging in several regions across the country.

"Three days ago, I had called the BNPB (National Disaster Mitigation Office) chief, commander of the National Defense Forces (TNI), and the National Police chief to deal with (the fires) in Riau, Palangka Raya, immediately," Jokowi remarked on July 31, 2019.

The Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs has appealed to 11 provincial administrations prone to land and forest fires to impose an emergency alert status in their respective regions.

So far, only the five provinces of Riau, West Kalimantan, South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan have declared a state of emergency over forest fires.

Reporter: FB Anggoro, Fardah
Editor: Sri Haryati

Residents forced to wear masks as thick haze strikes Central Kalimantan
The Jakarta Post 6 Aug 19;

Residents of East Kotawaringin in Central Kalimantan have been forced to wear dust-masks to protect their health following the emergence of “extremely thick” haze from widespread forest and land fires in the region.

A satellite image at 7:38 a.m. on Monday showed that at least 19 hot spots were detected in the regency, including in the sub-districts of Teluk Sampit, Mentaya Hilir Selatan, Mentaya Hilir Utara and Hanaut Island.

“I don’t usually wear masks, but I had to use one today to protect my respiratory system. The haze was extremely thick,” said Fadlan, a local resident.

The haze has also reportedly reduced visibility in the area, prompting motorists to turn on their vehicle lights in broad daylight to avoid traffic accidents on Monday.

Thick haze also struck some parts of Pekanbaru province on Monday, causing limited visibility in a number of cities, such as Pekanbaru and Dumai.

Pekanbaru Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency official Yasir said the haze came from land and forest fires in Siak and Infdagiri Hilir regencies.

At least 65 hot spots indicating land fires were spotted in Sumatra on a satellite image at 6 a.m. on Monday, including in Jambi Bangka Belitung, Lampung, South Sumatra and Riau Islands, as reported by Antara.

Environment and Forestry Ministry data shows wildfires burned 42,640 hectares of land across the country between January and May this year, which was nearly double the figure in the corresponding period last year of 23,745 ha.

More than a half of the total razed area — 27,538 ha — are peat forests in Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan and Riau, the last of which suffered most wildfires covering up to 25,592 ha

Recent reports have claimed that a haze crisis has erupted again in Riau and Malaysia, after a similar crisis in 2015, with Kuala Lumpur pointing its finger at forest fires in Sumatra as the main culprit.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) recently detected haze over Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, claiming that the smoke had come from forest fires in Riau, Malaysia-based newspaper The Star reported. (vny/afr)