KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The present haze situation is expected to persist into early 2027 due to prolonged hot and dry weather resulting from the El Nino phenomenon, Malaysian Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said on Tuesday.
El Nino is forecast to intensify into a Super El Nino stage from October this year until January 2027, with its effects persisting until June, while the southwest monsoon occurring concurrently is causing lower rainfall and hotter, drier conditions, Arthur told local media.
"The prolonged dry conditions will increase the risk of open fires, especially in areas prone to fires," he said, adding that this prolonged haze goes beyond past occurrences that would last for one to two months.
Arthur also said Malaysia will assist Indonesia in tackling forest and land fires, including by providing aerial firefighting capabilities, adding that Malaysia has offered aerial water-bombing operations using helicopters, firefighting support using amphibious aircraft and the implementation of cloud-seeding operations.
"The form and scope of assistance will be detailed jointly with the Indonesian government based on the needs and suitability of the situation on the ground, subject to the agreement of both countries' agencies," he said.
Meanwhile, several areas in the northern Borneo state of Sarawak recorded unhealthy air readings on Tuesday, with Sibu district recording an air pollution index (API) of 175 as of 3 p.m. local time. Other areas include Sri Aman and Mukah, which both recorded 172.
According to the country's air quality rating, an API reading of zero to 50 is "good," 51 to 100 "moderate," 101 to 200 "unhealthy," 201 to 300 "very unhealthy," and 301 and above is "hazardous." ■
