AFTERMATH: A section of the Rantau Panjang forest which was scorched by fire.
STILL BURNING UNDERNEATH: Fire still spreading at Bukit Lima Forest Reserve despite attempts to bring it under control.
‘FIRE VICTIMS’: Some pitcher plants in the forest reserve were not spared..
SIBU: As bush fires rage on and temperatures hover at an unbearable 35 degrees the last few days, the air quality in Sibu plunged into the unhealthy level yesterday, making it the first town in the state to experience this.
The air pollutant index (API) here was 85 as at 7am yesterday, and climbed to 102 by 11am, and to 106 by 5pm.
Sarikei came in second with a reading of 92, followed by Miri (84), ILP Miri (80), Samarahan (78), Kuching (75), Bintulu (73), Kapit (71), Sri Aman (70) and Limbang (69).
API readings of between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 (moderate), 101-200 (unhealthy), 201-300 (very unhealthy) and 301 onwards (hazardous).
Townsfolk here complained that they had risen in the morning to the smell of burnt particles, even in their bedrooms.
Head of the Fire and Rescue Services Department (Central Sarawak) Abdul Mutalib Razak admitted that the numerous bush fires in the outskirts had become more serious since last week.
“There are more than 10 cases now. We are out daily to contain its spread,” he said, adding that the fires had come mainly from farmers slashing and burning for the new planting season and residents burning their wastes near their houses.
He said the most serious fire was the one at the Bukit Lima Forest Reserve, adding it had been burning since last week.
“We can manage fighting the bush fires now. We have a team of about 100 firemen, and they are out daily in shifts to fight the fires.”
Mutalib urged the community to help ensure there were no more new cases and to stop all open burning.
“If it is a small fire, try extinguishing it yourself. Do not wait for the firemen, or else the situation will become serious when we arrive.
“Of course, when they call we shall respond, but if they could contain the small fire themselves let us concentrate on fires that are of a more serious nature,” he said, adding a fire ban had been imposed.
He said an example of this was when fire broke out in Kampung Datu and Kampung Hilir last Wednesday afternoon all his firemen were out fighting bush fires in the outskirts.
“This, therefore, delayed them from arriving in the kampungs. This is what I mean when I call on the public to extinguish small fires themselves so we can concentrate on more serious fires.”
Abdul Mutalip said they had not frozen the leave of firemen, but very few could apply for leave now.
There was a slight shower here yesterday, beginning at about 4pm. It drizzled for 10 minutes and stopped.
It drizzled again half an hour later but only for a short while.
Meanwhile, when contacted in Kuching yesterday, Natural Resources and Environment Board controller Peter Sawal said rain were reported in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.
“Our personnel are monitoring the situation,” he assured.
Nationwide, Pelabuhan Kelang in Selangor recorded the highest API in the country at 319, followed by Banting (209).
The air quality in Johor had improved with most of the districts recording API of between 68 and 125. Muar recorded an API of 125 while the API reading for Ledang in Johor was unavailable.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had declared on Sunday a state of emergency due to haze for the districts of Muar and Ledang.
The declaration was made following the haze situation in the two districts exceeding 500 on the API index.