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 hotspots and smoke haze persist over southern part of Kalimantan . Isolated hot spots were also detected over Thailand , southern part of Sumatra, Sulawesi and Java Islands.

In Brunei Darussalam on 9 September and 10 September, there was no report of fire incidence. The air quality was within good range with PSI below 50. No information received from Meteorological Department.

In Indonesia, hotspots detected by NOAA 12 are shown in the following table:

Hotspots were detected in Borneo and some hotspots were detected in Sumatra. There were hotspots detected in South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan. In Sumatra, one hotspot was detected in Jambi and one hotspot was detected in South Sumatra. There was smoke haze in Kalimantan. Fires occurred mostly in abandoned ex plantation areas and peatlands. Most fires were in inaccessible areas and water sources were difficult to find. Meteorology Services predicted that there would be rainfall in Sumatra. Visibility in Pontianak, West Kalimantan was 5km.


The distribution of hotspots in Indonesia as detected by NOAA 12 is shown in the following table:

In Malaysia on 10 September 2006, NOAA 18 detected 4 hotspots in Sarawak and 1 hotspot in Sabah. There were no hotspots detected in Peninsular Malaysia on 10 September. As of 11.00 am today (11 September 2006), 37 stations recorded good air quality level and 14 stations recorded moderate level. None of the stations recorded unhealthy air quality status. As of 11.00 am today, the visibility readings in most areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak were more than 10km except in Perai which was 7 km. In Peninsular Malaysia, the wind remained blowing from northwest in the north and southwest in the south with speed between 10 and 20 kph. In Sabah and Sarawak , the wind was light and variable. The fire weather index throughout the country remained low and moderate. The weather outlook remains unchanged. In Peninsular Malaysia, low level wind was blowing from the northwest and southwest while afternoon thunderstorms and early morning rain was expected over the coastal areas of the west coast states in the next few days. In Sabah and Sarawak, sporadic showers and thunderstorms were expected to continue in most areas of the states in the coming days.

No fires were detected in Singapore. PSI reading was within moderate range (60). Visibility in both Singapore Changi Airport and Seletar Airport was within 8-10km. Showers are likely in the next 2 days.

Based on FDRS reading, all fine fuels will easily ignite, potentially resulting in many fires in parts of Thailand, parts of Lao PDR, parts of Viet Nam, southern Sumatra and most parts of Borneo. In mixed fuels, severe drought conditions and high-intensify fires can occur in southern Sumatra and parts of southern Borneo. Moderate intensity fires can occur in parts of Thailand, parts of Lao PDR, parts of Sumatra and parts of Borneo. Peat areas will produce widespread and severe haze from deep and long-burning fires in parts of southern Viet Nam, parts of southern Sumatra and parts of southern Borneo. Persistent smouldering in natural peat areas and severe haze is likely in parts of southern Borneo. Drought conditions in peat areas and high-intensity fires are possible in parts of southern Sumatra and parts of Borneo. Smouldering in drained peat areas are possible in Thailand, Lao PDR, parts of Viet Nam, Peninsular Malaysia, most 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. In view of increase of hotspots in Kalimantan on 5 September, ground surveillance was conducted on 6 September to curb open burning activities at potential areas of incidences (i.e. Brunei Muara and Belait District). The visibility in Brunei Darussalam was back to clear on the following day and the air quality was within good level. Therefore, members of the team of ground surveillance were asked to step down until further notice. Fire Service Department of Brunei Darussalam also continues to conduct air and ground surveillance for any fire incidence. Department of Civil Aviation of Brunei Darussalam also continues to provide information on weather situation.

In Indonesia, the Ministry of Environment has intensified its monitoring efforts in view of the increase of hotspots since July 2006. Activities that have been conducted so far include: campaign and field training for local community in fire prone districts in Riau Province and West Kalimantan; urging companies with hotspots detected in their areas to conduct ground check and take necessary measures to put out the fires; forest and land fire suppression in Rokan Hilir district, Riau Province involving among others fire brigades from local companies and local community; mobilisation of Manggala Agni forest fire brigades to suppress fires in Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra and West Kalimantan, including aerial fire suppression using helicopters with water bucket in Riau, South Sumatra and Jambi; cloud seeding operation in South Sumatra and Jambi.

In terms of law enforcement, the following activities have been conducted so far in Indonesia: declaring the burnt areas as “status quo” areas and putting police lines around the areas to secure the areas for further investigation; conducting a meeting (coordinated by the Coordinating Ministry of Welfare) involving relevant ministries and officials from the fire-prone provinces to enforce legal provision to companies who use fires to clear the land and to introduce incentives to local communities who are not using fires to clear the land; deployment of the investigation team to Rokan Hulu, Rokan Hilir, Indragiri Hilir and Siak districts in Riau to identify companies who practiced open burning and processing the cases to court; planning for deployment of the investigation team to West Kalimantan.

The Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) continues to provide information on weather situation and fire danger information. Meteorological Services of Indonesia continues to provide information on weather situation. Ministry of Environment of Indonesia has also deployed fire fighting equipment to Kotawaringin District, Central Kalimantan.

In Malaysia, all DoE State Offices 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. In view of high number of hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan, as well as the south-westerly monsoon, two meetings of the Working Group on Haze Action were held in early July and middle of August to prepare for the necessary local actions as well as to respond to Alert Levels 2 and 3 issued by the Interim ACC. DoE of Malaysia continues to disseminate daily information on current situation related to air quality to the public through mass media. The public in Malaysia can submit their open burning complaints to Department of Environment (DoE) through toll free – JASLINE (1-800-88-2727). Following the issuance of Alert Level 3 by the Interim ACC on 7 September 2006, Malaysia has deployed one expert to Pontianak , West Kalimantan on 9 September 2006 to join the rapid assessment.

In Singapore, following the Interim ACC's activation of the Alert Level 3 on 7 August 2006, the Singapore expert participated as a member of the Panel of ASEAN Experts to assess the ground fire situation in Riau , Indonesia from 9-11 August 2006. Following the re-activation of Alert Level 3 for Kalimantan on 7 September 2006, Singapore experts would arrive in Pontianak on Monday, 11 September 2006 to join the rest of the members of the Panel of ASEAN Experts to assess the ground fire situation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

On 31 August 2006, in view of the improved fire-and-haze situation in Sumatra, the ASMC advised the Interim ACC to downgrade alert level in Sumatra to Alert Level 1.

In view of the current fire-and-haze situation, following the issuance of Alert Level 3 by the ASMC yesterday, 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 Alert Level 3 on 7 September 2006 and suggested for the immediate deployment of the experts to West Kalimantan.

The Interim ACC has also deployed one officer to assist in coordinating the mobilisation and assisting the experts in conducting the joint rapid assessment.

The expected duration of the joint rapid assessment is maximum 5 days (i.e. 11 – 15 September 2006).