Malaysia: 39 haze hotspots identified

New Straits Times 5 Aug 19;

THIRTY-NINE hotspots were detected yesterday compared with 31 on Friday, which escalated the transboundary haze in the region.

Data from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) revealed 36 hotspots in Indonesia’s Kalimantan, namely 13 areas in its western region, central (10), southern (eight) and eastern (five).

Two hotspots were identified in Sulawesi and one in Keningau, Sabah.

The air quality readings nationwide up to 6pm yesterday were at moderate levels.

Sixty-six of 68 Department of Environment (DoE) stations registered air pollutant index (API) readings of between 51 and 100.

Tawau in Sabah and Limbang in Sarawak registered good API readings of below 50.

API readings of zero to 50 are categorised as good; between 51 and 100 (medium); between 101 and 200 (unhealthy); between 201 and 300 (very unhealthy) and more than 301 (dangerous).

The Civil Defence Force (APM) has been placed on full alert for any possibility following the haze, which had affected several states over the last four days.

Its chief commissioner, Datuk Roslan Wahab, said the agency’s state directors had been instructed to keep abreast of developments regarding the haze.

“The haze condition in several states was reported to be at moderate levels.

“However, I have instructed all directors (at the state level) to be ready for any eventuality.”

He said this after officiating the closing of the Civil Defence Siswi Challenge programme at Universiti Teknologi Mara (Machang campus) in Kelantan yesterday.

Several states on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as Sarawak, are affected by haze following forest fires in Indonesia.

The Kelantan Meteorology Department said the haze situation in the state was at a moderate level.

Its director, Rabiah Zakaria, said Kelantan was not as badly affected as the southern and west coast states.

However, she said, the public should cease open-burning activity which could aggravate the problem.

“The public can refer to the Department of Environment’s air pollutant index to get updates on the haze condition in the state.”

Meteorological Department director-general Jailan Simon had said the haze was expected to continue following the discovery of 31 hotspots on Friday.

He said the southwesterly winds from Indonesia would continue to carry the haze, leading to poorer API readings in Malaysia.

He, however, said the haze was temporary and that the department would monitor the situation and keep the public informed of developments.


Haze situation under control despite dry spell
The Star 5 Aug 19;

PETALING JAYA: The haze situation appears to be under control despite the dry spell as the Air Pollutant Index (API) has not reached unhealthy levels in any parts of Malaysia.

In fact, good air quality was recorded in Kota Tinggi, Johor (API reading 50), Tawau, Sabah (46) and Limbang, Sarawak (47) at 6pm yesterday.

Air quality in other parts of Malaysia was at a moderate level.

An API reading of between 0 and 50 is good while 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, and 301 and above deemed hazardous.


National Weather and Geophysics Operations Centre director Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the air quality would return to normal soon as Indonesia had succeeded in its aggressive initiative to douse the raging forest fires.

He also noted that the two low-pressure cyclones in the West Pacific and the northern part of South China Sea would further suck the atmospheric moisture.

Several west coast states in the peninsula and Sarawak are also facing the haze following forest fires at six districts in Indonesia over the last four days.

The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) warned that more hotspots could be expected in the first two weeks of August, particularly in the fire-prone provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia, following warmer and drier than average conditions forecast over the southern Asean region.

In the northern Asean region, hotspot activities are expected to remain subdued due to prevailing rainy conditions, according to ASMC.


101ha of wildfires put out
The Star 5 Aug 19;

MIRI: Firefighters have doused 101ha of wildfires, roughly the size of 250 football fields, in Kuala Baram district, 25km north of here.

Only about 20ha of land were still burning, according to Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department in its update at 4pm yesterday.

Firefighters were battling the inferno on land owned by two mega development consortiums, said the department’s Miri chief Supt Law Poh Kiong.

He said the wildfires, which started on Saturday, were estimated to have raged on 121ha of land, which is equivalent to 300 football fields.

“Two lots of land are owned by the two companies. Bomba Miri has sent in firefighters equipped with two units of water pumps and rolls of hoses.

“We have doused 250 acres (101ha) and there’s 50 acres (20ha) still burning there,” he said.

Miri and Kuala Baram districts are notorious for forest fires and haze.

There are 11 major land development and plantation companies here, with wildfires happening on their land several times a year.

The last major fire and haze here was seen only in May and June.

At one point in June, the Air Pollutant Index in Miri and Kuala Baram exceeded the 300 mark, which meant the air quality reached hazardous levels.

Haze watch: Kelantan DoE deploys team to monitor open burning
Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah New Straits Times 5 Aug 19;

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Department of Environment (DoE) has deployed a team to scout fire-prone areas in the state for possible open burning activities which could exacerbate the haze situation.

State DoE director Hamzah Muhamad said the team began their operations on Sunday to check for possible activities which could worsen the air pollution levels in the state.

“At the moment, our focus will be on peat land, especially in Bachok. The team will also focus on any open burning activities and to take necessary action against those involved,” he said.

However, Hamzah noted that the Air Pollution Index (API) readings at two locations in Kelantan were at moderate levels.

“As of 1pm today, the reading at Kota Baru was 82 while Tanah Merah was 72, all in the moderate category,” he said.

API readings of 0 to 50 are categorised as good, 51 to 100 (moderate), 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy) and over 301 (dangerous).

He warned the public not to carry out any open-burning activities. He also advised motorists who use diesel to check their vehicles properly so that they would not emit excessive smoke emission.

Open burning is an offence under Section 29A of the Environmental Quality Act 1974. Those who carried out open burning, if convicted, could be fined RM500,000 or could face a jail term not exceeding five years or both.

Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Jailan Simon in a recent statement had said that the haze in the country was expected to persist following the existence of 31 hotspots in the region.

Several states on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia and Sarawak are currently facing hazy conditions following forest fires over six regions in Indonesia over the past four days.

DoE activates two open burning prevention action plans
Adib Povera New Straits Times 3 Aug 19;

KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Environment (DoE) has activated its two prevention action plans to reduce the risk of open burning in the wake of haze, which has reduced air quality in most parts the country.

In a statement today, the department said the National Open Burning Action and Haze Action Plans were activated to coordinate duties and responsibilities among all relevant government agencies in addressing issues related to open burning that may compound the haze situation in the country.

Under the two action plans, all state governments will work closely with their respective local governments and land owners to monitor areas which are vulnerable to open burning such as waste disposal sites, forests, peat soil, plantations and lands used for agricultural activities.

“They (state governments, local governments and land owners) should also take the necessary action to protect the areas from being encroached by irresponsible quarters who may cause open fire whether intentionally or unintentionally,” the statement said.

On its overall assessment of the air quality, DoE said Air Pollution Index (API) station in Bandar Indera Mahkota, Pahang, registered an unhealthy level of 104 at 10am today.

“This is due to the effects of smoke from forest and peat bush burning which was detected in Kampung Pulau Manis in Pekan, Pahang, which was not completely put off.

“A total of 66 API stations around the country registered moderate air quality reading (as of 10am today). Only the API station in Tawau, Sabah, recorded good air quality reading.”

The department said according to the latest weather and haze situation advisory issued by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) on Friday, hotspot clusters with smoke haze continued to be detected in Riau and Jambi, Sumatra, as well as in West and Central Kalimantan, Indonesia.

“The smoke haze from (the hotspots) Sumatera and Kalimantan is being blown by the prevailing winds towards the west coast in the peninsular and western part of Sarawak, which contributed to the increase in the API readings in the areas.”

Checks on DoE’s website showed a total of 67 API stations nationwide, including the ones in Bandar Indera Mahkota, recorded a moderate level in air quality as of 7pm today.

The reading of the air quality at the API station in Tawau remained at a good level.

As of 7pm today, the ASMC detected a total of 23 hotspots in Kalimantan. The Singapore-based centre also detected two hotspots at areas near Kota Belud and Kudat in Sabah.

“Dry conditions are expected to persist in central and southern Sumatra and Kalimantan over the next few days. An escalation in hotspot activities can be expected,” the ASMC said.

Air quality remains moderate despite scattered rainfall
Mohd Iskandar Ibrahim New Straits Times 3 Aug 19;

KUALA LUMPUR: Scattered showers which fell in the federal capital and other states today brought temporary relief from the haze.

However, the air quality will likely remain at moderate levels in the next few days.

This follows the existence of 31 haze hotspots in several areas in Indonesia.

Meteorological Department director-general Jailan Simon said winds blowing from the southwest direction are expected to bring thick smog generated from forest fires in Indonesia to Malaysia.

“Stable atmospheric condition and dry weather is expected to continue. Based on wind patterns, the haze situation in the peninsular is expected to continue if the hotspots (in Indonesia) continue to persist,” he said in a statement.

He said the haze situation is merely a temporary situation and the department will continue to monitor it nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) detected a total of 23 hotspots in Kalimantan, Indonesia as of 7.50pm on Friday.

The Singapore-based centre also detected two hotspots in Kota Belud and Kudat, Sabah.

Checks with the Department of Environment showed a total of 67 Air Pollution Index (API) stations around the country registering moderate air quality readings of between 54 and 97 as of 5pm today.

Only the API station in Tawau, Sabah recorded good air quality readings of 36.