What is the highest haze in the world?
The 2013 Southeast Asian haze was notable for causing record high levels of pollution in Singapore and several parts of Malaysia. The 3-hour Pollution Standards Index in Singapore reached a record high of 401 on 21 June 2013, surpassing the previous record of 226 set during the 1997 Southeast Asian Haze.
What is the fastest wildfire in history?
The 1935 Big Scrub Fire in the Ocala National Forest was the fastest spreading fire in the history of the U.S., covering 35,000 acres in 4 hours. In 1956, the Buckhead Fire burned 100,000 acres in Osceola National Forest in a single day.
Which other countries have been affected by the smoke in Sumatra?
At least six of the ten countries in the ASEAN region have been affected by the haze: southern Thailand, Vietnam, and most parts of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Why does Malaysia have haze?
“Slash and burn” agricultural activities, deforestation and oil palm plantations on peat areas, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia were identified as the contributing factors to high intensity combustions that results in transboundary haze in Malaysia.
Why did the Indonesian fires of 1997 1998 have such a widespread impact?
The land use changes that led to the fires were a combination of industrial-scale logging, draining peatlands for conversion to oil palm and fast-growing tree plantations, and a massive government program to drain swamps and convert them to rice paddies. A total of 240 people perished in the wildfires.
What’s the deadliest wildfire in US history?
Peshtigo fire
Go back 150 years in Wisconsin. The Peshtigo fire burned more than 1.2 million acres burned in Marinette County, in adjoining portions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and across Green Bay in Door County, Wisconsin.
Who is starting fires in Sumatra and why?
The fires are often started by smallholders and plantation owners to clear land for planting. Many areas of Indonesia are prone to rapid burning because of the draining of swampy peatland forests for pulpwood and palm oil plantations. At least four of the plantations are subsidiaries of Malaysia companies.
What caused the forest fires in Sumatra?
The minister stated publicly that the fires are due to competing claims over ‘unproductive’ forest areas. There are some 17 million ha of forest land in Indonesia which has been over-logged or zoned for conversion, according to officials.
Is slash-and-burn illegal in Indonesia?
Slash-and-burn is illegal in Indonesia but has been allowed to continue for years, with some saying corruption and weak governance have contributed to the situation.
When did haze start in Singapore?
There were sporadic reports of haze over Singapore in the 1980s. During that period, the haze was generally caused by dry weather conditions that increased the amount of dust in the air,13 occasional bushfires in Singapore14 and forest fires in Indonesia.