From Malay Mail · · 1m 50s
Hotspots, peat fires and palm oil
Malaysia offers firefighting aid to Indonesia as haze returns.
In brief
Malaysia offers firefighting aid to Indonesia as haze returns. Malaysia provided aircraft and personnel to Indonesia to combat transboundary haze caused by forest and land fires. Originally reported by Malay Mail.
Haze returns to Malaysia
Malaysia’s return of haze brings forest and land fires into focus as smoke spreads across the region.
Malaysia offers firefighting aid
Malaysia offered Bombardier CL-415MP aircraft, three helicopters, and 52 officers and personnel to Indonesia to combat transboundary haze.
Indonesian vice-president receives aid offer
Indonesian vice-president Gibran Rakabuming Raka received Malaysia’s firefighting assistance offer during his four-day working visit to Indonesia.
Air quality readings show unhealthy levels
Thirty-two areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index readings, with Johan Setia in Selangor at 183.
Sarawak affected by haze
Sarawak recorded the highest number of affected areas, with Kuching at 174 and Samarahan at 167.
Palm oil industry not primary cause
Malaysian Palm Oil Board said regional forest and peat fires cannot be attributed primarily to oil-palm cultivation.
Human land-clearing drives fires
Human land-clearing activities remain a major driver of fires, with El Niño amplifying their spread.
Peat fires burn underground
Peat fires can continue smouldering underground and reignite even after surface fires appear controlled.
El Niño acts as environmental amplifier
El Niño and prolonged dry weather act as environmental amplifiers, not the spark for wildfires.
Palm oil industry has zero burning
Malaysian oil palm industry has zero burning through mandatory Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil Certification Scheme since January 2020.
Satellite hotspots not proof of fire
Satellite hotspots indicate possible fires but not proof of open burning or evidence of who started them.
Haze problem requires prevention
Prevention, land management, early detection, and cross-border cooperation are essential to solving the haze problem.
The takeaway
Malaysia provided aircraft and personnel to Indonesia to combat transboundary haze caused by forest and land fires.
