Malaysia, Singapore grapple with prolonged dry spell

* Dry weather forecast to continue into March
* Concerns will hit palm oil production
* Singapore ramps up supply of recycled water
* Malaysia cabinet to decide on calling an emergency

Laura Philomin and Stuart Grudgings Reuters 26 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE/KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Singapore and Malaysia are grappling with some of the driest weather they have ever seen, forcing the tiny city-state to ramp up supplies of recycled water while its neighbour rations reserves amid disruptions to farming and fisheries.

Singapore, which experiences tropical downpours on most days, suffered its longest dry spell on record between Jan 13 and Feb 8 and has had little rain since.

Shares in Hyflux Ltd, which operates desalination and water recycling operations there, have risen 3.5 pct over the past month.

In peninsular Malaysia, 15 areas have not had rainfall in more than 20 days, with some of them dry for more than a month, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

The dry spell in the Southeast Asian neighbours is expected to run for another two weeks, forecasters say.

The Indonesian province of Riau has also been hit, with part of the region wreathed in smog, usually caused by farmers setting fires to illegally clear land. Poor visibility has disrupted flights to and from the airport in Pekanbaru.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak was due to discuss the drought at a regular cabinet meeting on Wednesday that would decide whether to declare a national emergency, according to state news agency Bernama.

While some dry weather is expected at this time of year, the abnormal lack of rain is raising concerns about the pace of climate change in the region.

"The concern is that these uncommon weather events may be happening more frequently sooner rather than later," said National University of Singapore weather researcher Winston Chow.

PALM OIL PRICES HIT

Malaysia is the world's second-largest producer of palm oil and planters say dry weather lasting more than two months can hurt yields six months to two years down the line, affecting output and fuelling benchmark Kuala Lumpur prices.

Concerns that dry weather will hurt production have helped push up palm oil prices about 8 percent in February, setting the market on track for its biggest monthly gain in four months.

The lack of rain is also believed to have caused extensive damage to the rice crop.

In Singapore the dry weather is being blamed in part for the mass death of fish stocks at several offshore farms. Around 160 tonnes of fish have died in recent weeks because of a lack of oxygen in the water.

The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) said it had received more than 7,000 calls involving forest and bush fires nationwide since the beginning of February, due to the hot weather, five times higher than in the same period last year.

Selangor, Malaysia's richest and most industrialized state, began limited water rationing on Tuesday as levels in its dams plunged to critical lows.

"We pledge that every consumer will receive water, but it will be rationed to ensure supply every two days," Bernama quoted state chief minister Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as saying.

"In a week, consumers will receive water for four days."

The state of Negeri Sembilan near the capital, Kuala Lumpur, declared a "state of crisis" last week as water in its dams fell to critical levels.

In Singapore, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) has boosted the supply of recycled water, known as NEWater, and desalinated supplies, in order to keep up reservoir levels.

Singapore's national security concerns mean it has developed into one of the world leaders in water technology as it tries to cut reliance on imported supplies from Malaysia.

Around 55 percent of Singapore's water is now desalinated or recycled, in line with an aim to be self-sufficient by 2061, when a 1962 agreement to buy 250 million gallons per day from Malaysia ends, according to the PUB.

The deal lets Singapore buy 250 million gallons of water a day from Malaysia at 0.03 ringgit ($0.01) per 1,000 gallons, and sell back treated water for 0.50 ringgit per 1,000 gallons.

Johor, the southern Malaysian state that borders Singapore, has been urging an early re-negotiation, saying the deal is too advantageous to the city-state.

"The talks should begin immediately," Hasni Mohammad, chairman of a state public works panel, told Bernama in an interview on Feb 18.

"We have long been in a losing position when we sell raw water to Singapore at three sen (for 1,000 gallons)," he said, adding that the price of treated water was too high. (Additional reporting by Niluksi Koswanage; Writing by Rachel Armstrong; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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Malaysia: We are generating our own haze, says Met Dept

The Star 26 Feb 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The causes of the current haze in Malaysia have been identified to be domestic sources such as forest burning, smoke from factories, vehicle emissions and open burning.

Malaysian Meteorological Department (JMM) director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail said the haze had no connection with the recent eruption of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatera, Indonesia or other outside factors.

She said the hot and dry weather without any rainfall for several days experienced in the country only made the situation worse.

"This time, the haze is caused by domestic sources and the lack of rainfall has caused such things as gas, dust, ash and particles to float in the atmosphere and not fall down to the earth," she told Bernama.

The Department's records showed that the haze was now concentrated in large urban areas with economic and industrial activities as well as a large number of vehicles such as Kuala Lumpur, Selangor (Subang) and Penang (Seberang Perai).

Che Gayah said the temperature this year was high compared to the same period last year, due to the hot and dry weather, and this was expected to continue until the middle of March.

"The haze is still within control, but early measures to prevent it from getting worse should be taken, including avoiding open burning and reduced use of private vehicles on roads," she said.

The Air Pollution Index recorded by the Department of Environment at noon Wednesday showed that the air quality status in 23 areas was good, and average in 26 others. - Bernama

Over 7,000 bush, peat fire calls since Feb 1
Kalavaani Karupiah and Tasnim Lokman New Straits Times 26 Feb 14;

HIGH VOLUME: Fire and Rescue Department head says 300 calls received per day in Selangor, Johor, Kelantan and Perak

KUALA LUMPUR: THE Fire and Rescue Department has received more than 7,000 calls involving bush and peat fires from Feb 1 to date due to the dry spell.

Its director general, Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim, said the calls increased fivefold in the period compared with the same period last year.

"We receive an estimated 300 calls per day on fire. Most of the calls involved locations in the states of Selangor, Johor, Kelantan and Perak," he said after officiating the 2014 Fire and Safety Seminar yesterday.

He said the department's personnel were on standby in case the situation worsened during the current dry spell.

Wan Mohd said the department would continue to keep a close watch, particularly on locations nationwide that were considered as hot spots.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment said they were currently pumping water from tube wells to be used to extinguish the fires.

Its director-general, Datuk Halimah Hassan, said water levels nationwide were low and insufficient to douse bush fires.

"Officers were told to pump out water from tube wells in fire-prone areas to be used in case of a bush fire. This is being carried out nationwide to ensure water usage and fires are controlled."

In George Town, a bush fire at Bukit Relau on Monday night caused panic among hundreds of residents living at the foot of the hill.

During the 9pm incident residents, particularly those from Jalan Yeap Chor Ee and Bukit Gambir, were horrified as they watched the blaze from their homes.

The blaze, which took place in a 0.4ha area of shrubs and bushes, took 30 Fire and Rescue Department personnel more than half an hour to bring under control.

Jalan Perak Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Kamaruzi Mohd Nor said it was tough fighting the fire in the dark.

"We had to chop down the shrubbery with parang to reach certain recesses where embers of the fire were spotted."

Kamaruzi said the cause of the fire was unknown, but attributed it to the drought as the underlying factor.

He said a similar fire had broken out in the area about five years ago. Additional reporting by Phuah Ken Lin

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Indonesia: More Riau Haze Arrests as Singapore Drafts Legislation

Jakarta Globe 25 Feb 14;

Jakarta. Another 24 suspects were charged with setting brushfires in Riau on Tuesday in the latest police crackdown on illegal land clearing as the fires raging across the Sumatran province for more than three weeks showed signs of subsiding.

“All suspects are being investigated by the district police,” Riau Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Cmr. Guntur Aryo Tejo told the Indonesian news portal Tempo.co.

The arrests came on the heels of last week’s arrest of a dozen people allegedly involved in setting some of the region’s widespread fires. None of those arrested had any expressed affiliation with the large palm oil and pulp companies found in Indonesia’s once-forested Riau province. The act of setting fire to the forest land has been called a “traditional” method to clear-out land for palm oil plantations, one allegedly used by small-scale farmers for decades in this fertile region. Law enforcement’s seeming inability to address the issue has become a heated concern in Singapore and Malaysia.

One suspect, a 49-year-old woman, was allegedly caught setting fires herself, in spite of protests from her neighbors. A witness told police that he warned the woman to not set fire to scrub land in East Dumai district. Ignoring his pleas, the woman set the ground alight. The fire quickly spread to cover more than a hectare of land, according to Tempo reports.

“The fire has been doused by police officers with the help of residents,” Guntur told Tempo. “The perpetrator and the evidence have been taken to the local police office.”

This year, police in Riau have taken a tough stance on illegal land clearing. Last year’s fires raged for weeks and blanketed neighboring Malaysia and Singapore and hazardous levels of thick haze. The pollution ignited a diplomatic row between Indonesia and Malaysia and Singapore — two nations seemingly exasperated with Indonesia’s inability to control burning in Riau and Kalimantan. Singapore was quick to pour fuel on the flames this year, with the city-state’s environment minister almost immediately accusing Indonesia of not caring about the welfare of its neighbors.

The city-state’s environment minister Vivian Balakhrisnan accused “those countries” bordering Singapore of ineffectual law enforcement as he proposed legislation that would allow Singaporean police to criminally charge companies caught setting land on fire.

“We need to go further,” Vivian said. “We have therefore decided to draft new legislation with extra-territorial applications. If approved by Parliament, errant companies — local or foreign — will face criminal charges in Singapore courts if their overseas actions cause haze pollution in Singapore.”

He said that Singapore was tired of dealing with the problem.

“The root cause is commercial,” he said. “It is not the weather or the environment. Errant companies have been clearing land by illegal burning because it is the cheapest way to do so.”

The proposed legislation — the “Transboundary Haze Pollution Bill” — is still under deliberation. If passed, parties responsible for haze-causing activities would have to pay up to $300,000 in fines, or or up to $450,000 if deliberate criminal activity could be proven in court. The bill would apply to Singaporean and non-Singaporean entities equally, although enforcing the law outside the city-state would present its own challenges.

“We hope this legislation will send a strong signal of deterrence to errant companies,” Balakhrisnan said.

Although this year’s haze has yet to impact Singaporeans — air quality has remained safe throughout the heaviest period of burning — residents in Riau were left to suffer the ill-effects of forest fires as nearly 6,000 hectares burned. Air quality in Riau dropped to dangerous levels, prompting school closures and an outbreak of respiratory illness.

The number of hotspots was recorded as 145 on Tuesday, down significantly from the 1,398 reported by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) on Monday. Most of the remaining fires burned in Bengkalis district. Flights at Pekanbaru’s Sutan Syarif Kasim II International Airport continued to be affected on Tuesday, with 16 scheduled flights suffering delays, airport manager Ibnu Hasan told the Indonesian news portal Liputan6.com.

Other flights were diverted to Batam, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Ibnu said.

More than 100 people were forced to evacuate their homes as the fires spread and air quality dropped in Bengkalis, the local police chief told the Indonesian news portal Detik.com.

“Our data shows that 125 people in total, including 24 children under five years old, 18 children and 83 adults [have left their homes],” Bengkalis Police Chief Adj. Sr. Cmr. Andry Wibowo told Detik.com. “We had to take them to shelters because their village was surrounded by fire, causing thick smog.”

The provincial government continued to advise against children going outside, closing local schools for some two weeks.

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Stakeholders in Jakarta map out long-term solutions to haze crisis

Reuters 25 Feb 14;

Peatland fires in eastern Sumatra, Indonesia, in recent weeks are again creating thick haze in the region, closing schools, canceling flights, and leading to the arrests of farmers accused of lighting the fires.

For now, the weather is keeping the smoke away from neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, where in June 2013 wind-blown haze from Sumatran fires caused record-high levels of air pollution. Last year’s crisis produced international headlines and quick responses from governments: High-level regional talks in September led to a proposed transboundary haze monitoring system, and earlier this month, Singapore drafted a bill that would allow it to fine companies for fires that take place on Sumatran plantations. The return of fires this month, however, has illustrated the need for long-term, holistic solutions to the haze issue.

“The situation is much more complex than the media portrayed, when there was a very high focus on the ‘hotspots,’ which are important, but crude, indications from space,” Peter Holmgren, director general of the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), told the audience. “We need to document the full extent of issues on the ground, better understand how priorities are set and decisions made, and then actively share information and knowledge.”

To that end, a workshop held in January in Jakarta was the first major step toward a research program to better understand the drivers of the fires, to spur greater collaboration among Indonesian and regional stakeholders at all levels, and to untie the knot of policies and regulations that govern land use and fire protection in Indonesia. The workshop, hosted by CIFOR, drew more than 50 people — including researchers, government officials, and leaders from communities, civil society and the private sector, among others. CIFOR has extensively studied fires in Indonesia’s tropical forests, in particular the 1997 crisis and the 2013 fires.

The meeting illuminated just how complex the situation is in the ground.

There was widespread agreement on several issues — chief among them, that the fires that caused the haze last year were not forest fires. Set deliberately to clear peatlands and deforested areas for agriculture, the fires “were caused by people,” affirmed Daniel Murdiyarso, a CIFOR principal scientist, at the workshop’s first session.

As the day went on, however, the workshop laid bare a wide divergence of perceptions among the participants about who was responsible for starting the fires and who was responsible for putting them out; about which agency had jurisdiction over the fires, and which laws applied; about why the fires caused so much haze; and even about who suffered the greatest impacts. From numerous presentations and breakout discussions, though, a consensus started to coalesce around the need for stronger governance, better monitoring and more research.

‘The main problem’

More than a few presentations at the workshop hammered on two key themes: overlapping claims over land ownership, and contradictory land and fire regulations. Land use, land tenure and firefighting in Sumatra are governed by a tangle of national, provincial and customary laws. This situation, participants explained, is exacerbated by an influx of land-seeking migrants; investments in agricultural expansion by companies; and tensions among small-scale agriculturists, mid-level planters and investors, and plantation companies. A lack of coordination among different levels of government; inadequate monitoring; and insufficient capacity in law enforcement and firefighting render governance woefully ineffective.

“Governance,” said one participant, “is the main problem [behind] everything.”

In a presentation to the workshop, another participant explained that at least eight national regulations govern fires and disasters, including the fires of June 2013; many of the regulations are in conflict with each other, he said. The speaker, a senior government official, said that local governments have no standard procedures for fighting fires — and in any case are more concerned about fires in buildings than on lands. “No one is reminding local governments,” he said, “that [land] fires are under their jurisdiction.”

With respect to land-use governance, the official said, conservation forests are the authority of the central government — but plantations (like oil palm) and peatlands have been under the authority of local governments, causing further confusion. Legal loopholes enable local governments to grant plantations on production forests controlled by the central government, while land-seeking migrants occupy such lands illegally but with the backing of the local elite. Customary law, then, is in conflict with provincial and national laws over land ownership.

This scenario promotes uncertainty over land tenure, said the head of an indigenous community group in Riau province, where most of the June 2013 fires burned. This has led, he said, to forested landscapes controlled by the central government in Sumatra being seen increasingly as a source of income to exploit, fueling an influx of migrant communities and agro-industrial businesses into Riau to compete for land in these areas. This influx pushes aside local people — and the traditional knowledge that they employ to clear land by fire without allowing the fires to spread.

“Fire and haze are consequences of this battle,” the community leader said.

Another participant, representing a forestry corporation, disagreed with statements that placed blame on large-scale plantation owners, saying that fires on his company’s properties were not only against its longstanding “no-burn” policy, but that they represented a major threat to its assets. “We act fast to detect and extinguish fires in our concessions and near our concessions,” he said. When fires occur on company concessions, he said, “We are the victims.”

Gaps in research

David Gaveau, a CIFOR scientist who presented research at the workshop, began mapping overlapping claims over land ownership using satellite technology and maps of concession boundaries obtained from the central and provincial governments. His work showed that more than half of the area that burned in June 2013 lay within concession areas allocated for industrial oil palm or acacia plantations — but that 60 percent of this land was occupied by smallholders. Smallholders say that the land they occupy in the concessions belongs to them.

The data, however, don’t explain who started fires, Gaveau said, but field investigations confirm the occurrence of fires used in conflicts among small agriculturalists and companies. It does not make business sense, he said, for companies to burn their productive plantations, although historical satellite records suggest that companies have used fire to convert forest lands to plantations in 2005. Gaveau said that it is fair to conclude that both companies and small agriculturalists have used fire at one point in time during the land conversion process to agriculture.

These issues, said Louis Verchot, director of forests and environment at CIFOR, are just part of the puzzle that research can help assemble. A broad research program on the haze issue, he told the workshop, would seek to contribute to a reduction in fires, carbon emissions and haze through a better understanding of the socioeconomic drivers of fires; of the fires’ impacts on climate and human health; and of the challenges of and opportunities for improving governance.

The next step in a proposed haze research program will come into focus in the coming months and is among the topics to be discussed at the Forests Asia Summit, 5-6 May — just as Sumatra’s dry season begins.

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Indonesia: Airlines report losses caused by Riau haze

Fadli, The Jakarta Post 26 Feb 14;

Several airlines have said flight rerouting and cancellations caused by haze clouds in Riau has led them to suffer losses.

Lion Air’s Sumatra operational head, Mahrido, said the low-cost carrier had to spend more on extra fuel and airport services for passengers as its flights were rerouted or delayed due to thick haze in the province.

“We have suffered significant financial losses due to the haze in Riau. The losses were primarily caused by more spending on fuel due to flight rerouting and extra services for passengers when they were waiting in airports,” said Mahrido.

He said that since yesterday, Lion Air had rerouted and even cancelled flights departing for Pekanbaru, Riau, due to heavy haze.

On Tuesday, flights from Kuala Namu International Airport to Sibolga and from Kuala Namu to Gunung Sitoli in Nias were also cancelled due to the haze.

Meanwhile, a Lion flight from Jakarta to Pekanbaru was temporarily rerouted to Batam.

“Flights in Sumatra have been disrupted due to haze in Riau. But based on existing rules, our airline will not give any compensation as the weather has caused the cancellation,” said Muhrido.

The head of the air safety task force at Hang Nadim Airport, Indah Irwansyah, said three flights from Jakarta to Pekanbaru – Garuda Indonesia, Citilink and Lion Air - had to be rerouted to Batam.

“We cannot ensure how long the rerouting will last, but as soon as conditions improve, flights can depart to Pekanbaru,” said Irwansyah.

The rerouting decision was taken as the visibility level at Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru deteriorated to below 1,000 meters, below the minimum standard for safe flying. (idb/ebf)

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Indonesia: Tourists willing to pay for conservation

Ni Komang Erviani, The Jakarta Post 26 Feb 14;

Foreign tourists visiting Nusa Penida islets are willing to pay admission that would go toward an environmental program, a survey revealed.

A survey conducted by the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) in 2011 revealed that 83 percent of tourists are willing to pay an entrance fee of up to US$4.30 per visit or up to $9.50 per year. The survey involved 300 foreign tourists who visited Nusa Penida in September 2011.

“From the survey, we found that most tourists are willing to pay to support environmental conservation in Nusa Penida. They are really eager to help maintain the area,” Marthen Welly, the CTC’s learning sites manager, told The Jakarta Post recently.

“Through the survey, we wanted to find out whether tourists would be willing to pay admission and how much, as it is really important for the conservation program and for building infrastructure,” Marthen said.

The Nusa Penida Conservation area comprises the Nusa Penida, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Lembongan waters in Klungkung regency. The development of the conservation area was started in 2008 by the local community and Nature Conservancy and has been continued by the CTC.

The survey revealed that 95 percent of tourist visiting Nusa Penida waters felt that a conservation program was needed in Nusa Penida. However, only 83 percent stated a willingness to pay an entrance fee.

Nusa Penida’s waters are a popular spot for divers from all over the world, with manta rays and Mola mola sunfish being the main attractions. It has attracted thousands of foreign tourists to dive and enjoy the marine life.

Based on the survey, 50 percent of tourists are European, while 31 percent are Australian. Others come from a variety of countries, including other areas of Indonesia.

Most tourists visit Nusa Penida to snorkel and scuba dive. Another reason is to enjoy the beach and sun, and to experience the lifestyle of local people and the local culture. Most visit Nusa Penida for one to three days.

The Klungkung administration enacted a bylaw on entrance fees to Nusa Penida in 2011, namely Rp 7,000 for adults (60 cents) and Rp 4,000 for children. However, the entrance fees have yet to be implemented. “We will review the entrance fee as it is too low and does not reflect what tourists are willing to pay,” Klungkung Regent Nyoman Suwirta said.

He added that the Klungkung administration was eager to develop sustainable tourism in Nusa Penida. He said the administration would work seriously on preserving the area.

“We are committed to developing Nusa Penida through an environmental friendly program, to create sustainability,” he said.

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Best of our wild blogs: 25 Feb 14

How does Parliament work? Find out at 1 Mar (Sat) Leafmonkey Workshop! from wild shores of singapore

Butterflies Galore! : Starry Bob
from Butterflies of Singapore

Glowing green at Tampines ECO Green park!
from The Green Volunteers

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Singapore in grip of record dry spell

Woo Sian Boon Today Online 25 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE — The Republic has experienced its longest ever dry spell of 27 days over these past two months, beating the previous record of 18 days set in 2008, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said.

The dry weather will probably persist into the first half of next month.

Before showers fell in some parts of the island on the weekend of Feb 8 and 9, less than 1mm of rain had fallen on any day between Jan 13 and Feb 8.

For the first three weeks of this month, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) reported that about half its 64 rainfall stations islandwide recorded rainfall totals below 10mm, well below the long-term average rainfall total of 161mm for February.

Average wind speed recorded at the Changi climate station is also the highest for the month of February in more than 25 years, at an average of 12.8kmh, compared with the long-term average of 8.8kmh.

In an advisory posted on its website on Saturday, the NEA noted that there were localised showers, mainly in the western areas, on seven days this month. Jurong Island received the highest rainfall total of 87.8 mm. “However, many parts of Singapore remain dry, particularly in the south and east,” it added.

To maintain water levels in the reservoirs, national water agency PUB last week increased the amount of NEWater it injects into the reservoirs to 30 million gallons per day (mgd). The desalination and NEWater plants are also running at close to full capacity. NEWater and desalination can meet up to 30 per cent and 25 per cent of Singapore’s water needs, respectively.

PUB Director of 3P Network George Madhavan said: “While we continue to ensure that our water needs are met ... it is important for all of us to continue to practise good water-saving habits and avoid unnecessary consumption, especially during this dry spell.”

Some water-saving tips from the PUB include cutting shower times by one minute to save nine litres of water and watering plants in the early mornings and late evenings to minimise evaporation loss.

The dry phase of the Northeast Monsoon season, which Singapore and countries in the region are experiencing, had set in earlier this year, compared with previous years. Increased rainfall can be expected with the onset of the Inter-Monsoon in the second half of next month, the NEA said.

An MSS spokesperson said: “Dry spells are not uncommon during the dry phase of the Northeast Monsoon and occur in both El Nino and non-El Nino years. While climate change increases the risks of both wetter and drier extremes, the effects vary across the region. Further studies are needed to investigate these long-term effects in Singapore.”

The NEA yesterday said in an advisory that the dry weather conditions have caused “a number of vegetation fires in Singapore over the past weeks”. “These fires could possibly have contributed to the burning smell detected in some areas,” the agency added.

Schools that TODAY spoke to said they have been reminding students to drink more water, but that Physical Education (PE) lessons have been continuing as usual.

Montfort Junior School Principal Genevieve Chye said: “We have already been telling the children to remain hydrated, to have more water breaks.”

She added that teachers have also been told to ensure students have sufficient time to rest and take regular water breaks during periods of intense activities. Likewise, Crescent Girls’ School Principal Tan Chen Kee said the school has alerted teachers in charge of PE classes and Co-Curricular Activities to monitor students’ outdoor activities.

Meanwhile, fish farmers on both the East and West Johor Straits are still cautiously monitoring the situation after the mass fish deaths that occurred at the farms about two weeks ago. While the number of dead fish has gone down in the past week, San Lay Marine Culture owner Gary Zhang noted that the neap tide will be occurring this week. Factors such as the neap tide or hot weather can lead to a plankton bloom, which can drain seawater of oxygen.

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Northeasterly wind threatens to bring haze to Malaysia, Singapore

Devianti Faridz Channel NewsAsia 25 Feb 14;

JAKARTA: Indonesian weather forecasters in central Sumatra have predicted winds blowing in the northeast direction when the dry season officially returns to Southeast Asia.

It means, if preventive steps are not taken early on, haze could worsen and spread towards Malaysia and Singapore.

Around Riau in central Sumatra, more than 6,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, community-owned sago and rubber farms have been affected by fire.

Most of them are caused by illegal slash-and-burn operations to clear land.

Forecasters said seasonal rain is expected in the middle of next month, but the dry conditions are due again by the end of May.

And given the spate of fires already this year - they warn affected locals not to take drastic action.

Aristya Ardhitama, meteorologist and forecaster of Pekanbaru Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency, said: "Sometimes when we issue a weather forecast notifying of reduced rainfall, the public takes advantage of the information and misuses it. They would then clear land when a dry spell occurs."

Large parts of Malaysia and Singapore were cloaked in haze from blazes in Sumatra last year, and environmental organisations said the Indonesian government must tackle the issue through legislative reform.

As a starting point, a bill on spatial planning, which has yet to be ratified in Parliament, would address the technical confusion of which government institution is responsible for the fires.

Muslim, a coordinator from Jikalahari, said: "For example, if it is a forest fire, authorities in the Agricultural Ministry cannot take action. Similarly when it occurs on plantations, the Forestry Ministry cannot step in. There's an SOP that gets in the way."

Given the weather conditions, deterrence is also a factor.

The Riau provincial administration has spoken directly with forestry and plantation companies to try and persuade them from practising slash-and-burn operations.

Local police have also spread leaflets to the public and spoken to village elders.

But very few individuals or companies are being punished due to lack of evidence.

Guntur Aryo Tejo, Riau Police spokesman, said: "The locations of the fires are remote and hard to access. In our investigations, we also face difficulties in collecting evidence and eyewitnesses' accounts."

Legal experts said different versions of maps and disputed lands between companies and the public also make it difficult to pinpoint who is ultimately responsible for starting the fires.

As the prospect of prolonged intense haze increases, the Home Ministry in the capital has instructed Riau's newly-inaugurated administration to take firm action.

But any decisions are still hamstrung by restrictive budgets, and issues with monitoring and law enforcement.

It means for now, the winds are bringing little change, just haze.

- CNA/de


Burning smell could be due to vegetation fires
Channel NewsAsia 24 Feb 14;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) says the current dry weather conditions have led to a number of vegetation fires in Singapore over the past few weeks.

And these fires could have contributed to the burning smell detected in some areas.

Meanwhile 18 hotspots were detected in Sumatra on Monday, and haze was visible in Riau province.

The NEA says prevailing north-easterly winds will keep the haze away from Singapore.

But it cautions that Singapore may experience the occasional slight haze due to the accumulation of particulate matter, especially in the morning.

As of 9pm, the 3-hour PSI stands at 36.


- CNA/ir

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Malaysia: Much-needed rain from mid-March

neville spykerman The Star 25 Feb 14;

PETALING JAYA: Inter-monsoon rains, which typically come after the middle of March, should bring Malaysians much-needed reprieve from the dry spell, said the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

“We should see a gradual increase in rainfall in the west coast of the peninsula from the third week of next month,” said department forecast director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah.

He said most states would have more showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evenings.

Muhammad Helmi stressed that the current dry spell caused by lesser rainfall was nothing abnormal and followed the end of the north-east monsoon in February.

“It’s not a heat wave or drought.

He added that higher temperatures due to less cloud cover was also normal for this time of the year.

Muhammad Helmi said the slight haze was also due to the absence of rainfall.

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Indonesia: Haze from Riau will not disperse to Singapore and Malaysia

Antara 24 Feb 14;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The haze from the Riau Province in Sumatra will not disperse to Singapore and Malaysia, although a total of 1,234 hotspots have been detected in the province, according to the local Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG).

On Monday, BMKG Pekanbarus analyst, Ardhitama stated here that the smoke arising from the hotspots in the region will only pollute the air around the province.

He explained that the winds blowing in the current dry season in Riau originated from the north and the east directions and were drifting towards south, which is in the opposite direction of Singapore and Malaysia.

This morning, the Terra and Aqua satellite detected 1,234 hotspots in Riau. This number is lesser than the 1,526 hotspots detected on June 23, 2013. During that time, the smoke arising from the forest fires was dispersed by the winds to Singapore and Malaysia.

(A014/INE/H-YH)

EDITED BY INE.

Editor: Suryanto

Respiratory Illness and Flight Disruptions as Riau Haze Worsens
Jakarta Globe 24 Feb 14;

Jakarta. Some 20,000 people have reported respiratory illnesses in Riau as forest fires and the resulting haze continued to worsen on Monday, the local health agency reported.

“That is the data we’ve compiled from a number of districts and municipalities since late January to Sunday [Feb. 23],” Zainal Arifin, the head of the Riau Health Agency, said in Pekanbaru on Monday.

Last month, fewer than 5,000 people reported respiratory problems in Riau. Last week, however, the figure jumped to 15,000 before surpassing 20,000 on Sunday, the health authority reported.

“We’ve been focusing only on patients with respiratory problems because they are the focus of the Ministry of Health,” he told Indonesian news portal Bisnis Indonesia.

Zainal urged people in Riau to minimize their time outdoors, citing the poor air quality, especially in the town of Dumai and in the Pelalawan and Siak districts.

“Toddlers and people with asthma should avoid outdoor activities,” he said. “Workers should wear masks in anticipation of respiratory illnesses.”

Officials with Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru said at least 12 flights were delayed, canceled or rerouted because the haze had reduced visibility in the province.

“Between 5 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. [on Monday], the visibility was only 500 meters,” airport manager Baekuni said on Monday. “The minimum visibility for safe flights is at least 1,000 meters.”

Affected routes included those to and from Malaysia and Singapore, as well as Bandung, Batam, Jakarta and Medan, on flights operated by Aviastar, Citilink, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air and Tigerair Mandala.

A Citilink flight from Jakarta, which was supposed to land at Pekanbaru airport at 7:20 a.m., was diverted to Batam.

Forests in Riau began burning again earlier this month, with officials blaming local farmers for using the slash-and-burn method to clear land.

On Monday, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said 1,398 hotspots were detected across Sumatra, with most of them concentrated in Riau.

Ahmad Agus Widodo, an analyst with the Pekanbaru office of the BMKG, said Bangka-Belitung and Lampung each reported one hotspot. South Sumatra reported two, Aceh five, Jambi 24, Riau Islands 43 and North Sumatra 85.

“Most hotspots were recorded in Riau province,” Ahmad told liputan6.com. “[NASA's] Terra and Aqua satellites detected 1,234 fire hotspots across eight districts and municipalities in Riau.”

He added the figure marked a significant rise from the roughly 80 hotspots detected in Riau on Sunday.

Ahmad said that with the wind blowing toward the south, haze was spreading to the neighboring provinces of Jambi and West Sumatra.

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Costs of natural disasters in China surge to $69 billion

Kathy Chen and Stian Reklev PlanetArk 25 Feb 14;

Natural disasters including droughts, floods and earthquakes cost China 421 billion yuan ($69 bln) in 2013, official data showed on Monday, nearly double the total in the previous year.

China has always been prone to natural disasters but a changing climate is causing more extreme weather, which hits food production, threatens scarce water resources and damages energy security, according to the government.

Data released by the National Statistics Bureau showed flooding and mudslides cost China 188 billion yuan in 2013, 20 billion more than in the previous year.

Damage from droughts rose nearly fourfold to 90 billion yuan, while snowfall, freezes and ocean-related costs totalled more than 42 billion yuan.

Earthquakes, primarily one in Sichuan province in April that killed 186 people, added nearly 100 billion yuan to the costs.

"In recent years, China has seen a combination of floods and droughts simultaneously, with the rain belt moving north past the Yangtze River," Zhu Congwen, a researcher with the China Academy of Meteorological Sciences told Reuters, speaking in a personal capacity.

Northern China is seeing more droughts while typhoons are arriving earlier, wetlands drying up and sea levels rising, the government said in a report last year.

Some regions in China, such as the southern province of Yunnan, are in their third year of crippling droughts.

In August last year, an extended heatwave across six provinces in central China meant crops from 900,000 hectares (2.2 million acres) of farmland failed and 13 million people had no easy access to drinking water.

In the same month, record rain - in some areas the most heavy in more than 100 years - and storms killed more than 100 people and caused huge floods in the northeast and northwest.

Last year's disasters were not as bad as 2010, when record flooding killed more than 1,000 people and led to 15 million being forced from their homes.

But the trend is for an increasing impact from wild weather.

In December, the government said it was poorly prepared to tackle the impact of climate change and released a plan identifying main areas for improvement in a bid to limit damage.

Infrastructure, agriculture, water resources, coastal zones, forests and human health were listed as priorities.

China is the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, which scientists say cause climate change, but has pledged to cut its emissions to 40-45 percent per unit of gross domestic product by 2020 compared with 2005 levels.

(Editing by Robert Birsel)

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