Category Archives: Haze Review

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for First Fortnight of May 2019

1.1 The first half of May saw a gradual improvement in the fire and smoke haze situation over the Mekong sub-region. Some smoke haze was observed over parts of Myanmar and the northern parts of Thailand and Lao PDR early in the month. With an increase in scattered shower activities over the northern parts of the Mekong sub-region, no significant smoke haze was observed.

1.2 In the southern ASEAN region, hotspot activities remained generally subdued although there were isolated hotspots with localised plumes in West Kalimantan and Sarawak during brief periods of dry weather.

Figure 1: Smoke haze in Myanmar and the northern parts of Thailand and Lao PDR in early May 2019

Figure 2: Localised smoke haze confined within Myanmar

Figure 3: Localised smoke plumes from isolated hotspots in Sarawak and West Kalimantan

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for First Fortnight of April 2019

1.1 An increase in shower activities over the southern Mekong sub-region since late-March helped to subdue hotspots and improve the haze situation over Cambodia, central and eastern Thailand, and the southern parts of Lao PDR and Viet Nam. However, smoke haze from persistent hotspots in the northern part of the Mekong sub-region continued to be observed. Dense smoke haze was observed on many days over eastern Myanmar, and the northern parts of Thailand and Lao PDR. Some smoke haze was blown to the northern parts of Viet Nam by the prevailing winds.

1.2 In the southern ASEAN region, hotspot activity was generally subdued except for isolated hotspots with smoke plumes detected in Riau, Sumatra, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and West Kalimantan in the second week of the fortnight.

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for Second Fortnight of March 2019

1.1 Dry weather prevailed over the Mekong sub-region in the second fortnight of March 2019. As a result, smoke haze from persistent hotspots continued to be observed over many areas in the sub-region. In particular, dense smoke haze persisted over parts of Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand on many days, and some smoke haze was blown by the prevailing winds toward northern Viet Nam (Figure 1). Toward the end of March 2019, an increase in shower activities over the southern parts of the Mekong sub-region helped improve the haze situation in Cambodia, southern Lao PDR and eastern Thailand (Figure 2).

1.2 In the southern ASEAN region, during periods of dry weather in the fortnight, isolated hotspots with localised smoke plumes were detected in Riau, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia (Figure 3). Elsewhere, scattered shower activities helped to keep hotspot activities subdued.

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for First Fortnight of March 2019

1.1 Dry conditions persisted over the northern ASEAN region, and widespread smoke haze continued to shroud many parts of the Mekong sub-region. The haze situation was on occasions exacerbated by confluence of prevailing winds with dense smoke haze from persistent hotspot activities extending over eastern Myanmar, northern and northeastern Thailand, and northern Lao PDR. Some of the smoke haze were also blown to northern Viet Nam by the southwesterly winds.

1.2 In the southern ASEAN region, dry weather over northern and central Sumatra, and Peninsular Malaysia led to the emergence of isolated but persistent hotspots with localised smoke plumes in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia and Riau, Sumatra in the latter part of the fortnight.

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for Second Fortnight of February 2019

1.1 The prolonged dry conditions in the northern ASEAN region contributed to the widespread smoke haze that continued enveloping most parts of the Mekong sub-region. Dense smoke haze was observed over parts of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand during the first half of February 2019. There were also occurrences of transboundary haze as some smoke haze was blown towards Lao PDR and Viet Nam from the neighbouring countries during this period.

1.2 In the southern ASEAN region, localised smoke plumes were observed from isolated hotspots in Riau, Sumatra and in Johor, Peninsular Malaysia. Otherwise, hotspot activities remained generally subdued.

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for First Fortnight of February 2019

1.1 In the Mekong sub-region, the hotspot and smoke haze activities remained elevated under the prevailing prolonged dry conditions. The smoke haze observed from hotspot clusters in Cambodia in January 2019 continued to persist into the first fortnight of February. In addition, moderate to dense smoke haze was observed over most parts of Thailand, and isolated hotspots with smoke plumes were observed in other parts of the Mekong sub-region. In the southern ASEAN region, shower fell over most parts of the region. However, isolated hotspots with localized smoke plumes were detected in parts of Sumatra during brief periods of dry conditions.

1.2 Figures 1 and 2 show satellite images over the ASEAN region in the first fortnight of February 2019.

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for Second Fortnight of December 2018

1.1 Hotspot activities in the ASEAN region remained generally subdued except in Cambodia, where there were occasional increases in hotspot activities. Localised smoke plumes were observed in the vicinity of these hotspots.

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for first fortnight of December 2018

1.1 Isolated hotspots with smoke plumes were observed in the Mekong sub-region due to persistent dry conditions (Figures 1 and 2). In the southern ASEAN region, hotspot activities remained generally subdued.

Review of Land Fires and Smoke Haze Situation for second fortnight of November 2018

1.1 Apart from the occasional increases in some parts of the Mekong sub-region (Figure 1), hotspot activities in the ASEAN region remained generally subdued.