Haze in Sabah improving | The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s haze situation is improving with a controlled number of open burnings reported on Saturday (March 16).

As of 4pm, areas with a moderate air pollutant index (API) are Tawau (52), Labuan (56), Kota Kinabalu (61), Kimanis (83) and Politeknik Kota Kinabalu at 87.

The API readings were divided into five categories: Good (0–50), Moderate (51–100), Unhealthy (101–200), Very Unhealthy (201–300) and Hazardous (300 and above).

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The state Fire and Rescue Department attended to a total of 17 calls on bushfires and other types of open fire involving around 30ha of land area.

Assistant Fire Superintendent Riki Mohan Singh Ramday said wild fires were reported in Tuaran, Beaufort, Papar, Kota Kinabalu, Menggatal, Tuaran, Kimanis, Kota belud, Pitas, Inanam, Sipitang and Kuala Penyu.

Beaufort recorded the biggest area at over 8ha, followed by Sipitang (6ha), Tuaran (more than 4ha), Pitas (4ha) and Rampayan Menggatal (over 3ha).

Most of these fires have been put out, he added.

With most of the bush and secondary forest fires took place in Kota Belud over the past week, farmers there had stopped open burning activities.

“Many of us in this village have stopped clearing lands through burning since last month due to the dry season,” said Nelson Ubud from Kg Mandap in Kota Belud.

ALSO READ: Stop open burning amid dry spell, Liew urges Sabahans

Another villager, who did not wish to be named, said she would not carry out open burning this year because the fire went out of control and caused quite an extensive damage to her farm last year.

“Last year, during the dry season, I burnt some of my land area to clear it up for farming but that small fire turned big and it took many villagers to help put it out, firemen were also called in.

“I have learnt my lesson. So no open burning at all this round,” she said.

The fire situation in Kota Belud improved a lot since the two-day continuous burning on March 10 and March 11.