KUCHING: The air quality in Miri continued to worsen yesterday with the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings reaching the hazardous level.
At 2am, the API reading recorded by the Department of Environment (DOE) reached 307. It shot up to its highest at 392 at 11am and plummeted to 390 at 3pm.
The poor air quality in Miri is believed to be the direct result of forest and peat soil fires now raging in Kuala Baram. The fires had spread to over 600 hectares on Aug 3 from the initial 150 hectares.
The rapid spread of the blazes was due to the strong winds and dry weather over the past week.
As of 4pm, the air quality in 11 other areas was at the moderate level of below 100 API readings.
The API readings were as follows: Samarahan (100), Sri Aman (93), Kuching and Miri at 78, Bintulu (76), Sibu (73), Mukah (70), Samalaju (69), Sarikei (68), Kapit (61) and Limbang at 54.
An API reading of between zero to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, while above 300 is considered hazardous.
According to a report by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) based in Singapore on August 9, 2019, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite images detected 93 hotspots in Kalimantan and four hotspots detected in Sumatra, Indonesia. In Sarawak, one hotspot was detected in Mukah and two in Sibu.
Meanwhile, State Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) assistant operations director Tiong Ling Hii said a total of 227 cases of forest fire and peat soil fire had been recorded since Aug 1.
“There is an average of 22 cases daily,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
According to him, the open fire near Hamidah Welfare Complex in Miri was believed to be a result of arson.
Tiong said the cause of the fire was identified based on the evidence recovered at the scene.
“The fire started from the centre instead of starting from the side of the road or any access.
“Firefighters found a doorknob tied with dry grass for burning purposes.
“Following this discovery, a police report has been lodged,” he added.
He disclosed that 89 acres of forests near Kampung Sedi, Bruit Island, Tanjung Manis had been destroyed since August 7.
He added that firefighters had been deployed and were assisted by villagers.
Tiong pointed out that the public were still ignoring firefighters’ advices to avoid open burning, especially during the ‘hot and dry’ weather.
“As of yesterday, most fires in the farming areas were caused by open burning for agricultural purposes by the farmers.
“Once the fires spread, they couldn’t contain them, so they contacted the firefighters for assistance to put out the flames,” he said.
