Air Worsens in Malaysia, Singapore as Sumatra Forests Burn - Businessweek

Smog caused by forest fires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra enshrouded Singapore and parts of Malaysia, where air quality dropped to unhealthy levels. Malaysia's Terengganu, Pahang and Malacca registered readings above 100 on the country's Air Pollutant Index at 11 a.m. local time today, according to the country's Department of Environment. Singapore's Pollutant Standards Index indicated a "moderate" 100 in the three hours to 2 p.m. compared with 55 in the period to 9 a.m., the National Environment Agency said. Levels of 101 to 200 in both nations signal the air is "unhealthy" to breathe. The Malay Peninsula has been plagued for decades by forest fires in Sumatra to the west and Kalimantan on Borneo island to the east, according to S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. The conflagrations hit a peak in 1997, when haze cost the economies of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore an estimated $3.5 billion, based on figures published in a report by the Center for International Forestry Research. At least 138 hotspots were detected over Sumatra yesterday, with hazy conditions expected to persist for the next few days, Singapore's NEA said. The fires typically occur during a dry season for the region from June to September, NEA said. Kemaman in Malaysia's Terengganu recorded the highest reading of 121, according to the environment department's 11 a.m. report. Bandaraya Melaka indicated 102. The website showed the next update will be at 5 p.m. To contact the reporter on this story: Jasmine Ng in Singapore at jng281@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Lars Klemming at lklemming@bloomberg.net via Science - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEeevzSG8-87azSVngY8G0TweA19g&url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-06-17/air-worsens-in-malaysia-singapore-as-sumatra-forests-burn

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