Air quality: Fire near monitoring station causes ‘unhealthy’ reading

 

The “unhealthy” air pollutant index (API) reading detected in Shah Alam today is due to open burning conducted near the monitoring station, according to the Department of Environment (DOE).

It said the fire has influenced the readings from the station, which recorded an API reading as high as 152 this morning even as all other stations in Peninsular Malaysia reported “good” or “moderate” readings.

A reading of 0 to 50 is considered “good”, 51 to 100 is “moderate”, and 101 to 200 is “unhealthy”.

Meanwhile, DOE said the unhealthy readings recorded in parts of Sarawak today are caused by haze smoke originating from “hotspots” detected by satellite in Kalimantan.

“Winds blowing from the southeast has brought haze smoke from western Kalimantan to southern Sarawak and caused elevated API readings in those areas,” the DOE said in a statement today, referring to monitoring stations in Kuching and Serian.

Overall, it said as of yesterday, the US-operated NOAA-20 environmental monitoring satellite has detected 64 hotspots in Sumatera and 55 in Kalimantan.

Satellite imagery of part of Southeast Asia taken from the NOAA-20 satellite on Sept 4, 2023, with hotspots it detected marked red. Note that this image includes hotspots of all confidence levels, whereas the tally quoted by the DOE refers only to hotspots assessed by an algorithm as being an active fire with “high confidence”.

Hotspots in East M’sia

Hotspots refer to areas of elevated mid-infrared radiation readings detected by satellite, which may have been caused by a forest fire, a gas flare or a volcanic eruption. Hotspots may undercount actual fires if obscured by clouds.

Within Malaysia, DOE said the satellite has also detected four hotspots in Sarawak and four in Sabah.

“The hotspots detected in the country are being further investigated by state DOE officials,” it said.

The agency said it has activated the National Haze Action Plan and the National Open Burning Action Plan to coordinate government agencies tackling open burnings and the haze situation.

Its enforcement officers are conducting daily patrols at potential open burning sites.

It urged landowners to closely monitor flammable areas and take necessary measures to prevent irresponsible parties from setting fires, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Such areas include waste disposal sites, peatlands, forests, plantations and agricultural and industrial sites.

It reminded those who violate the prohibition on open burnings may be slapped with RM2,000 compound.

They may also be liable for up to RM500,000 fine, up to five years imprisonment, or both, if convicted. - Mkini