Six Indonesian provinces have issued forest fire alerts on fears of a repeat of last year’s catastrophic blazes, which cost the country 16billion dollars.
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Singapore’s air quality deteriorated to unhealthy levels on Friday as winds blew smoke from fires on Sumatra, where millions of people are already affected by haze, across the city-state and into southern Malaysia.
Last year, Malaysia assisted Indonesia in tackling the haze crisis.
Every dry season, smoke from fires set to clear land for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations in Indonesia clouds the skies over much of the region, raising concern about public health and worrying tourist operators and airlines.
“Indonesia is keeping its word to ensure forest fires and slash-and-burn activities on agricultural land are not rampant”.
Commissioner General Ari Dono Sukmanto said yesterday that besides the 454 individuals, a number of people linked to nine companies suspected to have “started the fires” were also arrested between January and August this year.
Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) said the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) breached “very unhealthy” levels of 215 during the day.
A resident tries to put out a bush fire with a tree branch in Pekanbaru, Riau, Sumatra island, Indonesia August 23, 2016. An AFP photographer said he could hardly see the skyline from one of the city’s highest points at Mount Faber.
Food server Marcus Tan, 28, who works at a riverside restaurant with outdoor seating, said he was anxious the haze would agitate his asthma. “But do you think anyone will want to eat food served by someone wearing a mask?” he said.
Singapore’s three-hour air pollution index was at 157 by late afternoon, after peaking at 215.
As of midnight local time on Thursday, there were 68 hotspots on Sumatra, up from 43 two days earlier, the agency said.
Indonesia repeatedly vows to stop the fires but each year they return.
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However there were far fewer fires than at the peak of last year’s crisis, when hundreds burned out of control.
