DOE monitors bush and peatland fires in Mukah, Daro in Sarawak amid dry spell

The Department of Environment (DoE) is closely monitoring fires in Mukah and Daro, with one hectare in Jalan Sibujaya Barat and 2.5 hectares in Sungai Nai still burning.

Fires in vegetation and peatland can release pollutants affecting air quality, prompting DoE to conduct drone flights and coordinate with relevant agencies for assessments.

Azuri from DoE urges public vigilance regarding open burning, as violating the Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 2024 can result in hefty fines or imprisonment.

KUCHING, Sept 6 — The Department of Environment (DoE) is paying special attention to the fire incidents reported in bushes and peatlands near Jalan Sibujaya Barat in Mukah and Sungai Nai in Daro amid the current dry spell.

DoE deputy director-general (Development) Azuri Azizah Saedon said based on the latest status, the fire in the Jalan Sibujaya Barat area had been mostly controlled, covering an area of nine hectares.

“However, the fire still affects approximately one hectare in the Jalan Sibujaya Barat area and is currently being extinguished,” she said in a statement on Sunday.

In Sungai Nai, Azuri said approximately 2.5 of the three hectares are still burning, but the situation is reported to be under control, according to the Fire and Rescue Services Department.

She said fires in vegetation and peatland have the potential to produce smoke and release pollutants that can affect local air quality if left unchecked.

As such, she said the DoE Sarawak will continue monitoring the latest status of the fires at the mentioned locations, including assessing the potential impact on air quality.

Drone flights will also be carried out to obtain the latest picture of the fire status and the extent of the affected area, she added.

“Air quality monitoring and follow-up actions will be carried out based on the actual situation on the ground and the results of the DoE assessment together with relevant agencies.”

Azuri said monitoring would be strengthened if there was an increase in air pollution, while appropriate actions would be taken in accordance with the existing legal provisions to minimise the impact of the fire on the environment and public health.

In the meantime, she reminded members of the public that open burning is an offence under the Environmental Quality (Amendment) Act 2024, which carries a fine ranging from RM25,000 to RM1,000,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.

She said a compound of up to 50 per cent of the maximum fine may also be imposed for each offence.

Everyone is urged to report any fire or open burning to the Fire and Rescue Department at 999 or the DoE at 1-800-88-2727.

Meanwhile, Azuri said two air quality monitoring stations in Sarawak recorded very unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 10am on Sunday. They were Kuching with an API of 223 and Sri Aman (215).

Ten of the 35 locations across the country that registered unhealthy API readings were in Sarawak. They were Samalaju (200), Bintulu (198), Mukah (194), Samarahan (192), Sarikei (188), Serian and Industrial Training Institute Miri (both 182), Sibu (181), Miri (175) and Limbang (160).

The remaining air quality monitoring stations with unhealthy API were Selangor (6), Johor (4), Sabah and Negeri Sembilan (3 each), Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Pahang (2 each), Putrajaya, Terengganu and Labuan (1 each).

Based on the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) report on Saturday, Azuri said a total of 184 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan, 373 in Sumatra and one in Perak.

“ASMC also reported moderate to thick transboundary smoke plumes observed covering the northern part of Borneo.

“Moderate to thick smoke plumes were also observed from hotspots detected in many areas of Kalimantan as well as central and southern Sumatra,” she said.

She added that moderate haze was also observed in Singapore and southern Peninsular Malaysia. — The Borneo Post

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环境部 (DoE) 正在密切监测慕卡和达罗的火灾情况，西布加亚西路 (Jalan Sibujaya Barat) 仍有 1 公顷的火灾在燃烧，双溪奈 (Sungai Nai) 仍有 2.5 公顷的火灾在燃烧。

植被和泥炭地的火灾会释放污染物，影响空气质量，因此美国能源部开展无人机飞行调查，并与相关机构协调进行评估。

来自环境部的阿祖里敦促公众对露天焚烧保持警惕，因为违反 2024 年环境质量（修正）法案可能会导致巨额罚款或监禁。

古晋，9月6日讯——在当前干旱时期，环境部特别关注慕卡县西布加亚西路和达罗县双溪奈附近灌木丛和泥炭地发生的火灾事件。

能源部副总监（发展）阿祖里·阿齐扎·赛登表示，根据最新情况，Jalan Sibujaya Barat 地区的火灾已基本得到控制，过火面积达 9 公顷。

“然而，Jalan Sibujaya Barat 地区仍有大约一公顷的土地受到火灾影响，目前正在扑灭，”她在周日的一份声明中说。

据消防救援部门称，在双溪奈，阿祖里表示，约有 2.5 公顷的过火面积仍在燃烧，但火势已得到控制。

她表示，植被和泥炭地的火灾可能会产生烟雾并释放污染物，如果不加以控制，可能会影响当地的空气质量。

因此，她表示，砂拉越环境部将继续监测上述地点火灾的最新情况，包括评估对空气质量的潜在影响。

她补充说，还将进行无人机飞行，以获取火灾状况和受灾区域范围的最新信息。

“我们将根据实地实际情况和环境部评估结果，与相关机构一起开展空气质量监测和后续行动。”

阿祖里表示，如果空气污染加剧，将会加强监测；同时，将根据现有的法律规定采取适当措施，最大限度地减少火灾对环境和公众健康的影响。

与此同时，她提醒公众，根据 2024 年《环境质量（修正）法令》，露天焚烧属于违法行为，可处以 25,000 至 1,000,000 令吉的罚款，或最高五年的监禁，或两者并罚。

她表示，对于每项违法行为，还可以处以最高罚款额50%的罚款。

敦促所有人拨打999向消防救援部门报告任何火灾或露天焚烧事件，或拨打1-800-88-2727向能源部报告。

与此同时，阿祖里表示，截至周日上午10点，砂拉越的两个空气质量监测站记录到空气污染指数（API）读数非常不健康。这两个监测站分别是古晋（API 223）和斯里阿曼（215）。

全国 35 个 API 读数不健康的地点中有 10 个位于砂拉越。他们是Samalaju（200）、民都鲁（198）、Mukah（194）、Samarahan（192）、泗里街（188）、西连和美里工业培训学院（均为182）、诗巫（181）、美里（175）和林梦（160）。

其余API不健康的空气质量监测站包括雪兰莪（6个）、柔佛（4个）、沙巴和森美兰（各3个）、吉隆坡、马六甲和彭亨（各2个）、布城、登嘉楼和纳闽（各1个）。

根据东盟专业气象中心（ASMC）周六的报告，阿祖里表示，在加里曼丹共检测到184个热点，苏门答腊检测到373个热点，霹雳检测到1个热点。

“ASMC还报告称，观测到中等至浓厚的跨境烟雾羽流覆盖了婆罗洲北部。

“在加里曼丹岛许多地区以及苏门答腊岛中部和南部地区，也观测到了中等至浓厚的烟雾柱，”她说。

她补充说，新加坡和马来西亚半岛南部也出现了中度雾霾。——《婆罗洲邮报》

退出政坛后，前士古来议员玛丽娜·易卜拉欣现任柔佛苏丹原住民事务特别官。

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