Haze situation may worsen as Kalimantan hotspots rise to 808

THE number of hotspots detected in Kalimantan has surged to 808, which may cause transboundary haze to spread in the region.

Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said this depended on the extent of open burning in Indonesia and wind conditions.

"As long as the fires are not extinguished, the haze situation will continue to affect neighbouring countries.

"We are in the southwest monsoon period, during which winds blow from Indonesia towards our country. It is expected to end only in October."

Data from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) showed that the number of hotspots in Kalimantan rose from 301 on Saturday to 461 the next day before surging to 808 on Monday.

During the same period, ASMC also recorded 87 hotspots in Sumatra, 15 in Sabah and Sarawak, and one in Peninsular Malaysia.

However, it said humid conditions expected in western Sarawak this week could potentially reduce the impact of transboundary haze.

ASMC said satellite imagery from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration helped to detect hotspots.

However, those could go undetected due to cloudy conditions or during gaps in satellite coverage, it added.

Meanwhile, Hisham said air quality could improve with the change in wind direction due to the onset of the northeast monsoon.