KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian authorities are mobilizing resources and personnel to combat open burning activities locally after poor air quality levels were detected in several areas on Thursday, following forest fires in neighboring Indonesia.
Malaysian Meteorological Department Director-General Jailan Simon said forest fires in neighboring Indonesia would affect air quality in the Malaysian states of Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Sarawak and capital Kuala Lumpur.
"As of now there are 30 to 40 hotspots detected in Sumatera causing moderate level haze and we will continue to monitor the situation. We predict dry weather and haze lasting up to five days from Wednesday onwards," he told Xinhua.
"The public is advised to reduce outdoor activities and avoid open burning. We are in touch with our Indonesian counterparts and they have communicated to us their efforts to put out these fires. It is not as bad as the previous one," he said, referring to the severe region-wide 2016 Southeast Asian haze.
Meanwhile the country's Department of Environment (DOE) activated its open burning action plan and increased surveillance through patrols and the use of drones to stop such activities, and would work closely with the fire department to put out the fires, it said in a statement.
It would also brief the National Disaster Management Agency and Education Ministry further action if the Air Pollution Index (API) deteriorates further and warned of severe action against landowners involved in open burning.
"Should the API pass 100, then all outdoor activities must be stopped immediately. If the API passes 200 then schools must be closed immediately," it said.
According to the country's air quality rating, an API reading of zero to 50 is "good", 51 to 100 "moderate," 101 to 200 "unhealthy," 201 to 300 "very unhealthy" and 301 and above is "hazardous."
