Small fires will not cause haze, says DOE
Lum Ka KayPublished: Feb 24, 2015 9:32 AM | Updated: Feb 24, 2015 9:34 AM
An escalating number of small fires will not cause haze despite the hot and dry weather due to the Equinox phenomenon, said the director of the Air Division of the Department of Environment (DOE), Mashitah Darus.
An escalating number of small fires will not cause haze despite the hot and dry weather due to the Equinox phenomenon, said the director of the Air Division of the Department of Environment (DOE), Mashitah Darus.
“Although open burning has increased due to the dry spell, these fires are small in nature and manageable. Such small fires will not cause haze,” she said when contacted by Bernama in Kuala Lumpur.
She said these small fires were mostly caused by cigarette butts discarded by scavengers in landfill areas and people who fished at the riverside.
She urged everyone to work together in preventing forest fires.
“This (fire prevention) cannot be done by the Fire and Rescue Department and DOE alone. The public has to understand their responsibility as well and stop any open burning activities at a big scale,” she said.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Mohd Sani Harul said normally open burning would account for about five to 10 cases each day but since early this month, the numbers increased to between 20 and 30.
He said areas that were reportedly involved are Dengkil, Sabak Bernam, Bestari Jaya and Sekinchan which conducted open burning for agriculture purpose.
Meanwhile, 37 areas in the country registered good Air Pollutant Index (API) readings while 15 areas recorded moderate API readings at noon today.
According to the Department of Environment (DOE) website as at 1pm, the areas with good air quality were Muar with an API reading of 46; Alor Setar (48); Langkawi (34); Malacca (32); Port Dickson (41); Seremban (44); Balok Baru, Kuantan (41); Jerantut (31); Jalan Tasek, Ipoh (45).
SK Jalan Pegoh, Ipoh (49); Kangar (41); Perai (28); Seberang Jaya 2, Perai (41); Keningau (36); Kota Kinabalu (47); Sandakan (34); Tawau (34); Miri (45); Kuala Selangor (32); Shah Alam (43); Kemaman (40); Labuan (41) and Putrajaya (48).
Among areas with moderate air quality were Bakar Arang, Sg Petani with an API reading of 54; SMK Tanjung Chat, Kota Baru (57); Tanah Merah (51); Nilai (52); Kg Air Putih, Taiping (60); Tanjung Malim (52); Bintulu (57); Kapit (51); Samarahan (53); Sibu (55); Banting (58); Petaling Jaya (63); Kuala Terengganu (55); Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur (82) and Cheras (66).
API reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality; between 51 and 100, moderate; between 101 and 200, unhealthy; between 201 and 300, very unhealthy and over 300, hazardous.
- Bernama
“Although open burning has increased due to the dry spell, these fires are small in nature and manageable. Such small fires will not cause haze,” she said when contacted by Bernama in Kuala Lumpur.
She said these small fires were mostly caused by cigarette butts discarded by scavengers in landfill areas and people who fished at the riverside.
She urged everyone to work together in preventing forest fires.
“This (fire prevention) cannot be done by the Fire and Rescue Department and DOE alone. The public has to understand their responsibility as well and stop any open burning activities at a big scale,” she said.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Mohd Sani Harul said normally open burning would account for about five to 10 cases each day but since early this month, the numbers increased to between 20 and 30.
He said areas that were reportedly involved are Dengkil, Sabak Bernam, Bestari Jaya and Sekinchan which conducted open burning for agriculture purpose.
Meanwhile, 37 areas in the country registered good Air Pollutant Index (API) readings while 15 areas recorded moderate API readings at noon today.
According to the Department of Environment (DOE) website as at 1pm, the areas with good air quality were Muar with an API reading of 46; Alor Setar (48); Langkawi (34); Malacca (32); Port Dickson (41); Seremban (44); Balok Baru, Kuantan (41); Jerantut (31); Jalan Tasek, Ipoh (45).
SK Jalan Pegoh, Ipoh (49); Kangar (41); Perai (28); Seberang Jaya 2, Perai (41); Keningau (36); Kota Kinabalu (47); Sandakan (34); Tawau (34); Miri (45); Kuala Selangor (32); Shah Alam (43); Kemaman (40); Labuan (41) and Putrajaya (48).
Among areas with moderate air quality were Bakar Arang, Sg Petani with an API reading of 54; SMK Tanjung Chat, Kota Baru (57); Tanah Merah (51); Nilai (52); Kg Air Putih, Taiping (60); Tanjung Malim (52); Bintulu (57); Kapit (51); Samarahan (53); Sibu (55); Banting (58); Petaling Jaya (63); Kuala Terengganu (55); Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur (82) and Cheras (66).
API reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality; between 51 and 100, moderate; between 101 and 200, unhealthy; between 201 and 300, very unhealthy and over 300, hazardous.
- Bernama
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