MetMalaysia: Sarawak haze to linger as Kalimantan fires continue

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Meteorological Department, MetMalaysia, anticipates that the haze in Sarawak will persist for the foreseeable future as a result of numerous hotspots identified from open burning in Kalimantan, Indonesia, according to Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip, the department's director-general. Hisham stated that MetMalaysia is continuously monitoring the weather conditions in Sarawak, specifically the haze progression and the meteorological factors influencing it.

The department's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model forecasts that the haze will remain prevalent in the state over the next few days. The model also indicates that the Air Pollutant Index (API) will stay within the current range due to the substantial number of hotspots caused by open burning in western Kalimantan, influenced by the consistent wind direction directing towards Sarawak.

Previously, Sarawak's Yang di-Pertua Negeri, Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, had warned that API readings in several Sarawak regions might reach 800. Hisham further explained that the haze will only diminish if the ongoing fires in Kalimantan are promptly extinguished. He also emphasized that MetMalaysia is considering meteorological factors, including wind direction and rainfall, when assessing the situation's evolution.

The department acknowledges that fluctuations in the haze condition hinge on present weather factors, primarily wind movement and the occurrence of rain, which can impact haze dispersion and concentration.