PETALING JAYA, March 3 ― The hazy conditions seen in various parts of the country will remain for the next two weeks if the dry weather persists.
The Meteorological Department said forest fires in Riau, Indonesia, did not affect Malaysia due to the prevailing winds but peat fires and open burning in the country contributed to the poor air quality.
“The areas affected will be slightly hazy but it is not severe. It may stay for a few more weeks if open fires are not put out and the hot spell continues,” said department forecast director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah.
Several locations recorded unhealthy air pollutant index (API) readings yesterday.
Port Klang recorded an API reading of 118 (at 6pm), Nilai recorded 111 (6pm), while Putrajaya saw a reading of 127 at 3pm before it went down to 112 at 6pm.
Helmi said low water pressure and low water levels in the ground may also cause the fire department to face difficulties in putting out fires.
However, the department predicted rain to fall in the middle of this month, and this could help cool down the weather and clear the air.
Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said the current water crisis in the country has left the fire department facing a tough time in putting out forest fires.
“When fighting forest fire, our first source for water is nearby pond and river but in some cases, we use fire hydrants.
"With the current water crisis the pressure is low making it difficult to put out the fire quickly,” said Wan Mohd.
“Small fires, whether to burn rubbish or other items, can easily become larger and lead to forest fires in these temperatures.”
Perak recorded 68 cases of fire caused by open burning on Saturday, while Kedah saw 55 similar cases on the same day. Selangor had 11 incidents and five cases were recorded in Kuala Lumpur, as reported by the Fire Department.
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