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).

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.

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.

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.

KUALA LUMPUR: More areas have reported poor air quality readings as concerns grow over the country being affected by transboundary haze.

According to the hourly readings published on the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) website operated by the Department of Environment (DoE), nine areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 8am today, with Alor Gajah in Melaka the worst affected.

Alor Gajah reported an unhealthy API reading of 159, while Bukit Rambai registered an unhealthy reading of 115.

Other areas that recorded unhealthy API readings include Nilai in Negri Sembilan (158); Banting (155) and Johan Setia (152) in Selangor; Temerloh (155) in Pahang; and Kemaman in Terengganu (152).

Cheras (152) and Putrajaya (124) also reported unhealthy API readings.