Fire and Rescue personnel work to put out a bushfire.
Photo shows an extensive area in Kuala Baram affected by bushfires. (Inset)
MIRI: The air quality in Kuala Baram reached an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 117 yesterday – the worst in the country – due to the continued spread of bushfires.
According to the Environment Department’s website, the API reading at the Miri Industrial Training Institute (ILP Miri) was 117 at 7am, 116 at 1pm and 2pm, and then rose again to 117 at 3pm and 4pm.
This was a far cry from the API reading of 56 on Thursday.
Moderate air quality was recorded at API stations in Bintulu, Kapit and Miri.
An API reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality; between 51 and 100 – moderate; between 101 and 200 – unhealthy; between 201 and 300 – very unhealthy; and over 301 – hazardous.
Meanwhile, Fire and Rescue Department Miri Zone chief Supt Law Poh Kiong said the areas worst hit by bushfires were ILP Miri and the Hamidah Welfare Complex, involving 500 acres.
“Only 50 acres have been doused and the areas are still very smoky. As the situation worsened today during our meeting in the afternoon at the Resident’s Office, we sought an additional 19 in manpower to beef up the existing strength of 98 personnel,” Law told The Borneo Post. The additional personnel involved 10 from the army, five from Miri Port Authority and four from the Civil Defence Department.
Law said helicopters have been used since Tuesday to carry out water bombing, especially in hard to reach areas, and round-the-clock surveillance is also being carried out. He pointed out that dry weather coupled with strong winds caused fires to spread uncontrollably in peat swamp areas.
“The strong wind causes the fire to even spread across the firebreaks, although some firebreaks effectively prevented the fire from spreading,” he said.
He called on the public to cooperate by not conducting open burning as this would worsen the situation. He also advised for outdoor activities to be reduced and for those suffering from sore throats, coughs or shortness of breath, they should go and seek medical treatment.