ASEAN Secretariat - The report is compiled by the ASEAN Secretariat based on feedback from relevant ASEAN Member Countries and will be updated on a regular basis.


Report of Current Situation

Numerous hot spots with smoke haze were detected in Sumatra. Hotspots were also detected in Kalimantan.

No fire incident was no reported yesterday in Brunei Darussalam. The weather is predicted to be dry today. Slight to moderate haze is also predicted to be persistent during the period. The air quality was within moderate level with PSI reading 57. Visibility in general ranging from 3 to 5 km.

There were 352 hotspots detected by NOAA 12 in Riau, North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Bengkulu and Jambi . Smoke haze was detected in Sumatra. Fires mostly occurred in abandoned ex plantation areas and peat lands. LAPAN predicted dry weather in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The air quality in Minas, Duri and Dumai of Riau Province was within moderate level, i.e. 54, 65 and 69 respectively, while in Rumbai, the air quality was drop to hazardous level (313). The visibility in Pekanbaru, Riau was 1.5 km, while in Palembang , South Sumatra , the visibility was more than 10 km.

On 14 August, NOAA 12 detected 4 hotspots in Peninsular Malaysia (1 in Kelantan, 1 in Perak and 2 in Selangor), while NOAA 18 detected 1 hotspot in the Peninsular Malaysia (Pahang) and 10 hotspots in the State of Sarawak. The air quality status in Samarahan, Sarawak was recorded unhealthy level (103) on 14 August. Today, 15 August, as of 11.00 a.m., the air quality in most stations in Peninsular Malaysia was within good to moderate level, except for Kuala Selangor, Selangor where it recorded unhealthy status. However in Sarawak , deteriorated air quality was recorded in most of the stations. Unhealthy air quality was recorded in Kuching, Bintulu, Samarahan and Sri Aman, with the reading of 105 to 119. At 12 noon today, the visibility along the west coast states of Peninsular Malaysia was within 4 km to more than 10 km. The low visibility in Sabah and Sarawak (less than 10 km) was due to the high number of hotspots detected in Borneo (Kalimantan and Sarawak ). For more latest information on visibility reading please visit www.kjc.gov.my.

No fires were detected in Singapore. PSI reading was within moderate level (52). The visibility in both Changi and Selatar Airports was 8 km. There are chances of showers in the next 2 days.

The air quality in Phuket and Narathiwat was within moderate level (54 and 55, respectively) with visibility of 9 km in Narathiwat. Songkhla, Satun and Yala recorded good air quality (50, 27, and 38, respectively).

Based on FDRS reading, all fine fuels will easily ignite, potentially resulting in many fires in parts of Thailand , parts of northern Viet Nam , Peninsular Malaysia, most parts of Sumatra and Borneo. In mixed fuels, severe drought conditions and high-intensify fires can occur in part of southern Sumatra and parts of Borneo. Peat areas will produce widespread and severe haze from deep and long-burning fires in parts of Viet Nam. Persistent smouldering in natural peat areas and severe haze are likely in parts of southern Borneo. Drought conditions in peat areas and high-intensity fires are possible in part of southern Sumatra, parts of southern Borneo. Smouldering in drained peat areas are possible in Thailand , Lao PDR, parts of Peninsular Malaysia, parts of Sumatra and parts of Borneo.


Resources Mobilised and Actions Taken

Department of Environment Parks and Recreation of Brunei Darussalam continues its role in monitoring the air quality. Fire Service Department of Brunei Darussalam continues to conduct air and ground surveillance for any fires incidence. Department of Civil Aviation of Brunei Darussalam also continues to provide information on weather situation.

The police of Riau Province arrested people, not only person who started the fire, but also head of village which was suspected to give the open burning permit. The Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) continue to provide information on weather situation and fire danger information.

In Malaysia, the ACC activated LEVEL 3 ALERT on 7 August 2006 . Following the issuance of the alert, two experts from Malaysia were deployed to Pekanbaru, Riau to join the other members of the Panel of ASEAN Experts on Fire and Haze Assessment and Coordination.All DoE State Offices of Malaysia have been directed to intensify enforcement actions against open burning activities since 13 June 2006 in view of the beginning of the dry season. Aerial and ground surveillance are intensified to curb open burning activities in Malaysia throughout the country and all hotspot detected will be verified accordingly. The Air Division of DoE and the Central Forecast Office of Malaysia Meteorological Department (MMD) continue to remain vigilance and closely monitor the API readings, visibility and the weather conditions. DoE of Malaysia continues to disseminate daily information on current situation related to air quality to the public through mass media. In Malaysia, the public can submit their open burning complaints to Department of Environment (DoE) through toll free – JASLINE (1-800-88-2727).

In Singapore, following the Interim ACC activation of the Level 3 alert on 7 Aug 06, a NEA officer representing Singapore had participated in the Panel of ASEAN Experts to assess the ground fire situation at Riau , Indonesia . The assessment was conducted from 9 – 11 August 2006.

In view of the current fire-and-haze situation , following the issuance of Level 3 Alert by the ASMC, and taking into account the operational procedures of the Panel of ASEAN Experts on Fire and Haze Assessment and Coordination, the ASEAN Secretariat as the Interim ACC activated the LEVEL 3 ALERT on 7 August 2006. Some of the experts already arrived in Pekanbaru, Riau today while others are scheduled to arrive at a later time. They are from Indonesia , Malaysia and Singapore . The Interim ACC has also deployed one officer this morning to coordinate mobilisation and assist the experts in conducting joint rapid assessment. The experts had a meeting with the local government this afternoon to get a briefing on the current fire-and-haze situation and to determine the sites to be inspected. They are scheduled to go to Indragiri Hilir and Indragiri Hulu (border of Riau and Jambi provinces) tomorrow morning as there are currently big fires affecting at least 3,000 ha. It is expected that the duration of the joint rapid assessment is maximum 5 days (9-13 August). Based on the operational procedures, the experts are expected to provide daily updates through the Interim ACC and provide the consolidated report of the joint assessment at the end of the mission.

Following the advice of the ASMC, and in view of the significant increase of hotspots in Kalimantan, the persistent of dry conditions, and the prevailing winds towards Sarawak , the Interim ACC activated LEVEL 2 ALERT for Kalimantan on 8 August 2006.