KUCHING: Kuching recorded a very unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 261 at 3 pm today as haze continued to affect several parts of Sarawak.
The Department of Environment (DOE) recorded 24 areas nationwide with API readings in the unhealthy and very unhealthy categories at the time.
In Sarawak, Serian recorded a very unhealthy reading of 254, followed by Sri Aman at 234 and Samarahan at 231.
Other locations remained in the unhealthy category, with Mukah and Sarikei both at 185, Samalaju (179), ILP Miri (173), Bintulu (168) and Miri (164).
According to the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) report dated Sept 7, a total of 109 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan, 119 in Sumatra and six in Malaysia.
The ASMC also reported moderate to dense transboundary haze plumes covering northwestern Borneo.
DOE said fires had also broken out at several locations in Sarawak, particularly peatlands and landfill sites, where hot and dry conditions increased the risk of fire.
At Jalan Sibujaya Barat in Mukah, the fire had been fully extinguished.
In Kampung Kut, Daro, about 7.8 hectares of the eight-hectare affected area had been extinguished, leaving 0.2 hectares still being addressed.
At Sungai Nai, Daro, three hectares of the 4.5-hectare affected area had been extinguished, while firefighting efforts continued on the remaining 1.5 hectares.
At the Selalang Landfill Site in Sarikei, about 0.2 hectares of the 0.6-hectare affected area had been extinguished, with firefighting efforts continuing over the remaining 0.4 hectares.
