OFFICIAL PORTAL
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has commenced the daily submission of Situation Reports to the Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution, starting today.
This follows a Level 2 alert issued by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) on Saturday for the southern Asean region, signalling heightened concern over transboundary haze in the region.
Department of Environment director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar said the reports include detailed information on fire incidents, underlying causes, preparedness measures and mitigation actions undertaken on the ground.
"The submissions are regarded as official and reliable sources of information, and serve as key references to support regional coordination and response efforts," he told the New Straits Times.
Wan Abdul Latiff was responding to the Level 2 alert for the southern Asean region issued by ASMC.
When asked about the current haze situation in Malaysia, particularly in Peninsular Malaysia, Wan Abdul Latiff said air quality data from 68 monitoring stations nationwide indicated that the haze has been categorised as moderate since yesterday.
"As of now, only five stations are recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) levels, mostly in areas along the central west coast," he said.
The highest API reading was recorded in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, at 163, he added.
Wan Abdul Latiff also confirmed that no areas have recorded very unhealthy API levels (200 and above) so far.
"Later today, conditions are expected to improve. The regional haze map issued by the ASMC shows no smoke haze over the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
"This is consistent with the reduction in the number of hotspots detected in Sumatra, with 65 compared to 79 hotspots on Friday.
"However, with dry weather conditions expected to persist in the coming days, the risk of haze recurrence remains.
"Continued vigilance is crucial, as open burning and forest or peatland fires may trigger a resurgence in haze episodes," he said.
PETALING JAYA: Fenomena kebakaran hutan dan jerebu rentas sempadan berpotensi menjadi kebiasaan baharu pada masa hadapan walaupun tanpa faktor El Nino susulan kesan perubahan iklim global.
Felo Akademi Sains Malaysia, Dr. Fredolin Tangang berkata, ia susulan kejadian jerebu dan kebakaran hutan terus berlaku tahun ini biarpun Malaysia ketika ini belum mengalami fenomena El Nino.
Katanya, sebelum ini setiap kali El Nino berlaku, kawasan seperti Sumatera dan Kalimantan di Indonesia mengalami cuaca lebih kering sekali gus menyumbang kepada peningkatan kes kebakaran hutan dan jerebu rentas sempadan terutama semasa musim Monsun Barat Daya.
“Namun, disebabkan perubahan iklim yang semakin ketara, kita kini berdepan situasi di mana kebakaran hutan dan jerebu rentas sempadan boleh berlaku setiap tahun, tidak kira sama ada El Nino berlaku atau tidak.
“Ini adalah amaran awal jerebu mungkin menjadi ancaman bermusim yang berulang dan tidak lagi bergantung semata-mata kepada fenomena semula jadi seperti El Nino,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia.
Kelmarin, beberapa negeri di pantai barat Semenanjung Malaysia dilanda jerebu rentas sempadan berpunca daripada kebakaran hutan di Sumatera, Indonesia, menurut Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (Met Malaysia).
Fredolin yang juga Pakar Klimatologi berkata, berdasarkan kajian unjuran perubahan iklim dijalankan bersama pasukan penyelidik di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), kawasan Sumatera dan Kalimantan dijangka mengalami keadaan lebih kering ketika Monsun Barat Daya pada masa hadapan sekiranya pemanasan global berlanjutan.
“Keadaan ini mungkin menyamai tahap kekeringan yang pernah direkodkan semasa episod El Nino terdahulu dan akan meningkatkan risiko kebakaran hutan dan penyebaran jerebu merentas sempadan.
“Dalam erti kata lain, kita boleh menjangkakan setiap kali Monsun Barat Daya melanda, jerebu menjadi satu kebiasaan walaupun tiada El Nino. Sekiranya El Nino turut berlaku dalam tempoh sama, situasi mungkin menjadi lebih teruk dan membimbangkan,” katanya.
Sementara itu, lima kawasan di negara ini merekodkan bacaan Indeks Pencemaran Udara (IPU) tidak sihat setakat 1.30 tengah semalam, menurut laman web Sistem Pengurusan Indeks Pencemaran Udara Malaysia (APIMS) Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS).
Nilai, Negeri Sembilan mencatatkan bacaan IPU 162, Johan Setia dan Banting di Selangor pula merekodkan IPU 154 dan 153, manakala Putrajaya dan Temerloh, Pahang menjadi lokasi baharu mencatatkan IPU tidak sihat iaitu 111 dan 104.
Sebanyak 57 stesen pula mencatatkan bacaan IPU sederhana termasuk Alor Gajah, Melaka; Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (96); Seremban (93) dan Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan (93) serta Bukit Rambai, Melaka (90).-UTUSAN
States in the thick of it – again
- Admin UKK
- Berita
PETALING JAYA: Five locations recorded unhealthy air quality as of 3pm yesterday, according to the Environment Department (DOE).
They are Nilai, Negri Sembilan, with an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 162, Banting and Johan Setia in Selangor with readings of 154, Putrajaya (139) and Alor Gajah, Melaka (110).
In addition, 57 areas across the country recorded moderate air quality levels, while six areas were reported to have good air quality.
An API reading of 0-50 is categorised as good; 51-100 as moderate; 101-200 as unhealthy; 201-300 as very unhealthy; and anything above 300 is hazardous.
DOE director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffa said yesterday’s deterioration in air quality was caused by haze drifting into Malaysia over the past 24 hours.
“No large scale fires have been detected within the country so far,” he said in a statement.
According to a July 19 report issued by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre in Singapore, satellite imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed the presence of 65 hotspots in Sumatra, 30 in Kalimantan and four in Malaysia – with two each in Pahang and Selangor.
“Dry conditions were reported across the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as in Sumatra, Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands and southern Kalimantan,” Wan Abdul Latiff said.
“Isolated hotspots were detected in Sumatra, while a number of hotspots were also observed in Peninsular Malaysia, Kalimantan, Vietnam and Thailand.
“The DOE has stepped up enforcement operations and daily patrols in areas that are prone to open burning and continues to monitor API readings nationwide.”
Wan Abdul Latiff said the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan have both been activated to coordinate government agency efforts in tackling open burning and addressing the haze.
Landowners have been urged to closely monitor areas under their care, especially locations that are frequently affected by fires such as landfills, forests, peatlands, plantations, agricultural zones and industrial sites.
“They are advised to take precautionary measures to prevent trespassing by irresponsible parties that could lead to either intentional or accidental open burning,” he said.
He said that under the National Haze Action Plan, the National Disaster Management Agency will activate disaster management committees at the district, state or federal level when the API remains above 150 for more than 24 hours.
“All outdoor school activities must be suspended when the API exceeds 100. Schools, kindergartens and childcare centres are to be closed immediately if the API exceeds 200,” he said.
According to Wan Abdul Latiff, cloud seeding operations will be carried out if weather conditions are suitable and the API remains above 150 for more than 24 hours.
KUALA LUMPUR: Empat lokasi baharu di negeri Pahang, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu dan Melaka mencatat bacaan Indeks Pencemaran Udara (IPU) tidak sihat setakat 8 pagi tadi.
Semakan menerusi laman sesawang Sistem Pengurusan Indeks Pencemaran Udara (APIMS), Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) mendapati Temerloh, Cheras, Kemaman, Bukit Rambai, menjadi lokasi baharu daripada sembilan lokasi yang merekodkan bacaan IPU tidak sihat.
Kawasan Alor Gajah, Melaka mencatat bacaan IPU tertinggi dengan 159, diikuti Nilai, Negeri Sembilan (158); manakala Banting, Selangor (155); Johan Setia, Selangor (152) dan Putrajaya (123).
Empat lokasi baharu mencatat bacaan IPU tidak sihat adalah Temerloh, Pahang (156); Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (152); Kemaman, Terengganu (152) dan Bukit Rambai, Melaka (103).
APIMS turut mencatatkan, tiga kawasan merekodkan kualiti udara pada tahap baik dan 56 kawasan mencatatkan status kualiti udara pada tahap sederhana.
Terdahulu, media melaporkan jerebu rentas sempadan didapati sedang melanda beberapa negeri pantai barat Semenanjung Malaysia.
Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (MET Malaysia), Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip dilaporkan berkata, laporan dikeluarkan oleh Asean Specialized Meteorological Centre (ASMC) mendapati terdapat 79 titik panas di kawasan Sumatera.
Menurutnya, ia berkemungkinan menjadi punca kepada keadaan berjerebu (di Malaysia) yang dibawa oleh tiupan angin barat daya.
Human activity blamed for recent fires
- Admin UKK
- Berita
KUALA LUMPUR: Recent forest and bush fires reported over the past few days in Malaysia are believed to have been caused by human activity, says Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad.
“Natural combustion is unlikely in this weather, so it’s highly probable the fires were caused by human actions, even though no specific forensic investigation has been carried out,” he said.
Nor Hisham said one of the latest forest fires covered about 1.2ha in Bukit Kajang Prima on July 19, requiring 22 firefighters and four fire engines to extinguish.
He said a separate bush fire was reported earlier near Bukit Jalil, prompting firefighters to act swiftly to prevent the blaze from spreading.
“Our monitoring and operations remain under control. No major fires have been reported so far, including in peatland areas,” he told Bernama.
From Jan 1 to July 19 this year, a total of 7,223 fire cases were recorded nationwide, involving bush and field fires, forest fires and open burning of waste.
Bush or grass fires accounted for the highest number of cases at 4,733, followed by waste fires (1,662), forest fires (537) and farm or plantation fires (291).
Selangor recorded the highest number of incidents with 1,364 cases, followed by Perak (938), Johor (831), Kedah (662), Kuala Lumpur (113) and Labuan (44). Putrajaya reported the lowest number, with just eight.
Meanwhile, several areas in Selangor and Negri Sembilan, including Johan Setia and Nilai, recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index levels yesterday, believed to be caused by transboundary haze from forest fires in Indonesia.
Nor Hisham urged the public to refrain from open burning and to report any signs of fire to prevent them from spreading.