Marufish BLoG

Atmospheric scientists trace the human role in Indonesian forest fires TORONTO, ON – Severe fires in Indonesia – responsible for some of the worst air quality conditions worldwide – are linked not only to drought, but also to changes in land use and population density, according to a new study in Nature Geoscience led by Robert Field of the University of Toronto. "During the late 1970s, Indonesian Borneo changed from being highly fire-resistant to highly fire-prone during drought years, marking the period when one of the world's great tropical forests became one of the world's largest sources of pollution," says Field, a PhD student of atmospheric physics. "Ultimately, this abrupt transition can be attributed to rapid increases in deforestation and population growth. The resulting occurrences of haze currently rank among the world's worst air pollution episodes, and are a singularly large source of ...

Haze again envelopes pakanbaru on Friday Pekanbaru, Riau, Aug 15 (ANTARA) - Haze from plantation and forest fires, again enveloped Pekanbaru, Riau Province, after two days of clear sky. The haze reduced visibility for motorists so much that they had to turn on their head lights and decrease their speed. "It's very annoying. We have to be extra careful because of the haze which has come back," Dian (23), a motorist, said. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s satellite had detected 28 hot spots in plantation and forest areas in Riau, including nine in Rokan Hilir, one in Bengkalis, five in Rokan Hulu, three in Siak, four in Sengingi and five in Indragiri Hulu.(Antara) Source: http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=5765

煙霾影響印尼航空 即時新聞 2008-08-09 11:05 （印尼‧雅加達）印尼蘇門答臘島上林火有加劇跡象，所產生的煙霾籠罩多個縣市，開始對印尼航空交通造成影響。 最 近一週遭到濃霧包圍的廖內省首府北干亮霜市，附近的蘇丹夏立夫機場週五（8日）早上能見度200公尺，多個航班的起降時間不得不推遲。 此外，從雅加達飛往北干亮霜和棉蘭等地的多個航班，都因目的地機場的濃霧延遲起飛2小時以上。 星洲互動‧2008.08.09 Source: http://www.sinchew-i.com/sciWWW/node/36867?tid=6

林火狂燒煙霧蒙蒙‧印尼航空交通受影響 即時新聞 2008-08-09 11:59 （印尼‧甦門答臘）印尼甦門答臘島上林火有加劇跡象，由於所產生的煙霧籠罩多個縣市，已開始對印尼航空交通造成影響。 最 近一週來遭到濃霧包圍的廖內省首府北干亮霜市，附近的甦丹夏立夫機場週五（8日）上午能見度200公尺，多個航班的起降時間不得不推遲。 機場管理處副主任班查伊丹說，由於煙霧關系，能見度只有200公尺，至少有兩個航班、即曼達拉航空及雄獅航空飛往雅加達的班機展延起飛半個鐘頭，到籠罩機場煙霧退去後才恢復正常。 此外，從雅加達飛往北干亮霜和棉蘭等地的多個航班，都因目的地機場的濃霧延遲起飛兩小時以上。 林火所產生的煙霧前天就開始影響國內航空交通，廖內省的杜邁機場、西甦門答臘省巴東機場和南甦門答臘省首府巨港機場一度關閉。 氣象局方面指出，如果濃霧造成能見度在1500公尺以下，機場管理當局就應該禁止飛機起降，以策安全。（聯合早報網）星洲互動‧2008.08.09 Source: http://www.sinchew-i.com/sciWWW/node/36874?tid=6

Visibility improves in three haze-hit areas in Penang 10 Aug 2008, BERNAMA PENANG, SUN: Visibility has improved in three of Penang’s haze-hit areas — Butterworth, Prai and Bayan Lepas — in the afternoon compared to the morning. A spokesman of the Penang Meteorological Department said the reading at 3 pm in Butterworth was four km (compared to 800 metres in the morning), in Prai five km (four km) and in Bayan Lepas seven km (five km). The Air Pollutant Index (API) was 85 in Seberang Jaya, 64 in Prai and 57 in Universiti Sains Malaysia. The rating of 51 to 100 indicates moderate API. Source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/NewsBreak/20080810180106/Article/index_html

PAST PRESENT: 'The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.’ NST, 9 Aug 2008, By : A. Kathirasen THE haze is getting rather worrisome. No one is gasping for breath yet, but the haze clouding the Malaysian firmament is causing discomfort and disquiet. Our neighbour Indonesia has decided the time is ripe for its annual export of haze to Malaysia. Forests in Borneo and Sumatra are burning, due mainly to land clearing activities. Going by the number of hotspots there, the sky will not clear up for a while yet. More than 400 forest fires were spewing smoke last Thursday. But the Indonesians cannot claim sole credit for causing the haze shrouding Malaysia. For, a fire has been burning since Aug 1 on about 49ha of agricultural land near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The land is part of the Kuala Langat Forest Reserve in Selangor. On Aug 2, the Air Pollutant Index reading for Port Klang was 104. Tanjung Malim registered an API reading of 110 last Monday...

Haze to remain awhile The Star, 9 Aug 2008 THE haze in Penang is expected to stay a little longer as the wind is not strong enough to blow it away. A check with the state Meteo-rological Department showed that visibility was as low as 1km in Butterworth and 6km in Prai and Bayan Lepas at 8am yesterday . At 2pm, visibility was at 2km in Butterworth, 5km in Prai and 6km in Bayan Lepas. A department spokesperson said the wind was coming and going in varying directions. “The wind is only blowing at 10 to 20 km per hour,” she said, adding that the wind was supposed to be blowing from south-west at this time. Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/8/9/north/1768888&sec=north

Sarawak bans open burning The Star, 9 Aug 2008 KUCHING: Sarawak has banned open burning after dozens of hotspots were detected in the state. State Assistant Minister for Environment Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zain said there were 37 hotspots on Wednesday, down from 51 a day earlier. He said there were 221 hotspots in neighbouring Kalimantan, Indonesia, and 400 hotspots in Sumatra on Wednesday. “All parts of Sarawak recorded moderately healthy air quality. Samarahan recorded the highest air pollutant index of 57, followed by Bintulu, 56,” he added in a press statement yesterday. Abang Rauf said the decision to stop open burning was because of the potential recurrence of haze as the fire weather index (FWI) had reached level 7. An FWI rating of 1 and below is considered a low fire hazard, 2 to 6 is moderate, 7 to 13 is high and above 13 extremely high. He warned that anyone who defied the ban on open burning faced a fine of up to RM30,000 and three years’ jail on conviction under Natural ...

Haze disrupts air traffic in Indonesian province, says official 8 Aug 2008, AFP JAKARTA (AFP) — Thick haze from forest fires shrouded the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan Friday and disrupted air traffic, an airport official said. "Two planes from Jakarta to Pontianak airport were delayed this morning due to the thick haze," Pontianak airport operational chief Edi Widodo told AFP. He said the haze -- a recurring problem of the dry season which also affects neighbouring countries -- had hampered visibility since Thursday morning. "It has happened since yesterday but the most significant disruption was this morning when it reached only 500 metres (yards)," he said. The number of forest fires on Indonesian Borneo has soared over the past three days due to land clearing, raising concerns of foul air over Malaysia and Singapore. The dry season from June to the end of September is the period of highest risk for the haze, which contributes to global greenhouse gas em...

Indonesia warns over forest fires on Borneo 7 Aug 2008, AFP JAKARTA (AFP) — The number of forest fires on Indonesian Borneo has soared over the past two days due to land clearing, raising concerns it could lead to haze over Malaysia and Singapore, an official said Thursday. More than 400 forest fires from traditional farming methods -- blamed for the smoke which shrouds the region annually -- were being monitored on Indonesian Borneo Thursday compared to 217 on Wednesday, officials said. "It's doubled again to 415 hotspots, mostly from West Kalimantan," Israr Albar, a forestry ministry official monitoring the forest fires via satellite, told AFP. He said 65 percent of hotspots recorded were from land clearing by local residents and the rest were from commercial plantation operations. State-owned Antara news agency reported that the increasing number of forest fires had affected the air quality in Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, despite government promises to co...

Sarawak still records healthy air quality despite haze threat Borneo Bulletin, 8 Aug 2008 KUCHING (Bernama) - Sarawak, which is facing the possibility of haze due to the prevailing southwesterly winds bringing in transboundary haze, still recorded a moderately healthy air quality index, State Assistant Minister of Environment Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zen said yesterday. He said about 400 hotspots were detected in Sumatra and another 221 in Kalimantan, Indonesia while those in Sarawak had shown a decrease to 37 from 51 the previous day. "As far as the air pollution index (API) in Sarawak is concerned, all recording stations recorded moderately healthy index of below 100, with the highest being reported in Kota Samarahan and Bintulu," he told Bernama. With rain in various parts of the state helping reduce the impact of haze, the API recorded as at 11am yesterday morning for Kota Samarahan was 73, Bintulu (61), Kapit (53), Kuching (58), Miri (40), Sibu (55), Sarikei (50), Sri ...

Haze over Indonesia's Sumatra, flights delayed Fri Aug 8, 2008, Reuters JAKARTA (Reuters) - Choking smoke from forest fires hung over parts of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Friday, forcing a delay in flights, and prompting fears that conditions could worsen because of lack of rain, officials said. About 450 hot spots have been detected across Indonesia, and forestry officials have warned that the number could exceed last year's total of 35,000 as the dry season this year is likely to be marked by less rain than usual. "This morning two planes were delayed for half an hour because the visibility was only 200 metres because smoke and smog shrouded the airport," said Slamet Riyadi, analyst at Riau Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, referring to the airport in Pekanbaru, the provincial capital of Riau. The number of hotspots had risen to 393 in West Kalimantan island on Borneo island, although the number in Sumatra had decreased after light rain late on Thursday, offi...

Haze causing sniffs and coughs The Star, 6 Aug 2008, By CHRISTINA CHIN SINCE the haze was reported in May, paediatricians have recorded an increase in the number of patients suffering from respiratory problems. According to Hope Children Hospital chief executive officer Andy Wee, there was a 20% increase in the number of patients since the haze started. “All our three paediatricians reported an increase in the number of patients treated recently. The patients are mainly children with a history of asthmatic and respiratory ailments. “Until the air quality improves, parents should ensure good air circulation inside the house by turning on the fan or air conditioner. “If your kids are not feeling well, it is best to see a doctor and keep them home,” he said. Consultant paediatrician Dr Koh Chong Tuan said there was “certainly an increase” in the number of patients affected by haze. “It is not as many as last year but we don’t know whether the situation is going to become more serious late...

Winds To Bring Haze To Brunei: Met Dept Borneo Bulletin, 7 Aug 2008, By Azaraimy HH Bandar Seri Begawan - The current slight haze over Brunei Darussalam is expected to gradually worsen due to the increase in hot spots in neighbouring countries and the prevailing dry season over these areas, Brunei's Meteorological Services said yesterday. The number of forest fires on Indonesian Borneo has nearly doubled due to land clearing. "Our latest data shows that the number of hot spots on Kalimantan Island has nearly doubled," Israr Albar, a forestry ministry official monitoring the forest fires via satellite, told AFP. He said that some 217 hot spots recorded on Borneo were from land clearing in West Kalimantan province, compared with 122 recorded a day earlier. The number of hot spots on Sumatra Island had decreased slightly to 423 from 557, he added. The Duty Forecaster at the Department of Civil Aviation in Brunei told the Bulletin, "The strengthening of southwesterly wi...

Riau health agency to provide 30,000 masks to anticipate worsening haze ANTARA News, 6 Aug 2008 Pekanbaru, Riau, (ANTARA News) - The Riau provincial health agency has provided 30,000 masks in anticipation of haze from forest fires which have been razing in some in Riau province, a spokesman said.Burhanudin Agung, head of the Riau public health and nutrition agency made the remarks here Tuesday, adding that the masks have been stored at the health agency`s storage facility prior to their distribution to the people.The Riau health agency has planned to distribute the masks to the people in all districts and towns which have been blanketed by the haze, he said.But the distribution of the masks had been postponed as the air pollution standard index (ISPU) of the haze is still on a moderate level, the spokesman said.The masks will be distributed immediately after the ISPU started to increase, Burhanuddin said.In the meantime, Blucer Dolog Saribu, head of the Pekanbaru Meteorology and Geophy...

Hazy days to continue The Star, 5 Aug 2008 By FLORENCE A. SAMY & LOH FOON FONG KUALA LUMPUR: The haze is expected to continue a little longer as the number of hotspots in Sumatra is still hovering around the 150 mark and with little forecast of rain here. In Sumatra, the number of hotspots had increased from 141 to 151 on Tuesday, but still much lower than the 285 on Sunday. In Borneo, the number of hotspots jumped to 253 yesterday from 43 on Monday. Satellite pictures showed no hotspots in the peninsula on Tuesday, compared with two on Monday. The Meteorological Services Department's (MSD) warning of low visibility – less than 5km – over northern Straits of Malacca waters still holds until Thursday. The number of areas with moderate Air Pollutant Index (API) readings increased from 31 on Monday to 34 at 5pm Tuesday. Tanjung Malaim, which recorded unhealthy readings on Monday, had improved to a moderate 64. Healthy API readings are between 0 and 50, and moderate from 51 to 100....

Haze eases up The Star, Aug 4, 2008 PETALING JAYA: The number of hotspots in both Sumatra and the peninsular has reduced by more than half despite the dry and warm weather. In Sumatra, the number of hotspots had dropped to 145 from 285 while there were two hotspots in the peninsula on Monday compared with eight on Sunday. At 5pm Monday, Butterworth recorded a visibility reading of 6km while it was between 8km and 9km in Prai, Sitiawan, Batu Embun, Bayan Lepas, Petaling Jaya, Muadzam Shah and Malacca. In the rest of the peninsula, it was over 10km. For the Air Pollutant Index (API), Tanjung Malim was listed unhealthy at 110 while 31 out of the 51 areas in the country recorded moderate API readings. The Malaysia Meteorological Department said the weather conditions would remain warm with no rain for the next few days. "Southwesterly winds will continue to blow from Sumatra but slight rain can be expected in Perlis, Kedah and northern Perak," he said. Selangor Fire and Rescue D...

Haze Hampers Visibility In Straits Of Malacca KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- The Meteorological Department Monday issued a warning on low visibility of below 5km due to haze in the northern part of the Straits of Malacca.In a statement today, it said the hazy conditions are expected to continue till Aug 7 and were dangerous to ships that did not have navigational equipment.The department also issued a warning on strong Southwesterly winds of 40-50km/h and rough seas with waves up to 3.5m over Condore and Terumbu Layang Layang waters.These conditions which are dangerous for small crafts, recreational sea activities and sea sports, are expected to continue till Aug 6.Another warning issued was for thunderstorms over waters off Kedah, Penang and Perak which are expected to last till noon Monday.The thunderstorms can cause strong winds of up to 40km/h and rough seas of up to 2.5m and are dangerous to small boats.-- BERNAMA Source: http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=350421

Haze returns to region as Sumatra's illegal fires rage The Straits Times, Aug 4, 2008 Despite fire-fighting efforts, visibility just 2km in Riau; air over Malaysia worsens By Teo Cheng Wee, In Kuala Lumpur and Salim Osman, Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta HAZE shrouded parts of the region yesterday after fires scorched forest and plantation land in Sumatra over the weekend, enveloping the Riau capital of Pekanbaru and parts of Peninsular Malaysia. The authorities have squarely blamed Indonesian farmers and plantation workers, who are clearing the land using slash-and-burn methods that have been banned since 1999. The number of hot spots in Sumatra surged from 351 to 531 on Saturday, before dipping to 360 yesterday, according to the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG). This was confirmed by Singapore's National Environment Agency. BMG analyst Selamat Triyadi told The Straits Times that Riau alone accounted for some 136 hot spots, while Pelalawan and Rokan Hulu h...

Indonesian forest fires spark haze fears in Malaysia AFP/ir, Aug 3, 2008 KUALA LUMPUR - The growing number of forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra island has triggered warning bells that hazy skies could return to neighbouring Malaysia, environmental officials said on Sunday. Forest fires from Indonesia caused by traditional farming methods have been blamed for the choking haze, which shrouds the region annually. Malaysia was drafting plans to ensure no open-burning activities were carried out during the dry season, although there were no reports of haze, said Rosnani Ibrahim, director-general of the environmental department. "There is no indicator that we are going to have it yet, but we are concerned with the increasing number of hotspots" or illegal fires, Mr Rosnani said. "We are doing our best to avoid any open burning here in the country." The number of hotspots in Sumatra rose from 351 to 531 within 24 hours on Saturday, according to meteorological depart...