(UPDATED)Air quality in six towns deteriorating to very unhealthy level this evening

KUCHING, Aug 29 2026: The air quality in Sarawak is worsening with air pollutant index (API) in six  towns breaching the very unhealthy level as at 8pm this evening.

Caption: The hazy conditions in Tabuan Jaya bazaar - a township near the border with Kota Samarahan 

Topping the list  with very unhealthy air quality is IPD Serian with an API reading of 273, and followed by Tebedu with 227, Simanggang 227, Samarahan 206 and Lundu 202.

The weather stations in other towns also show deteriorating air quality.

Kuching recorded an API reading of 194, and this is followed by Sarikei 192, Mukah 171, Sibu 168,Bintulu 159,  Kapit 156 and Samalaju 155, indicating an unhealthy air quality levels.

The Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) in its homepage said the API reading for ILP Miri was 77, Miri 76, Bario 72 and Lawas 60, indicating moderate air quality levels.

Based on a report by the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) based in Singapore on 28 August 2026, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite images 20, there were 1,738 hotspots detected in Kalimantan, 36 hotspots detected in Sumatra and 6 hotspots detected within the country, namely one in Sabah and five in Sarawak. 

STATION	INDEX	STATUS
KUCHING	195	Unhealthy
SAMARAHAN	206	Very Unhealthy
IPD SERIAN	273	Very Unhealthy
SRI AMAN	227	Very Unhealthy
SARIKEI	192	Unhealthy
SIBU	168	Unhealthy
MUKAH	171	Unhealthy
KAPIT	156	Unhealthy
BINTULU	159	Unhealthy
SAMALAJU	155	Unhealthy
MIRI	86	Moderate
ILP MIRI	88	Moderate
LIMBANG	65	Moderate
LUNDU	203	Very Unhealthy
TEBEDU	227	Very Unhealthy
LUBOK ANTU	236	Very Unhealthy
LAWAS	68	Moderate

 

Weather stations in Lubok Antu, Simanggang and Lundu registered very unhealthy air quality levels

KUCHING, Aug 29 2026: The air quality in three towns have reached a very unhealthy levels according to the latest data obtained at 10am from the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) homepage.

Caption: Firemen putting out recent forest fires in Simanggang

Lubok Antu registered an air pollutant index (API) reading of 229, Simanggang  223 and Lundu 218.

Weather stations in nine towns registered API readings at  unhealthy levels.

Serian recorded an API reading of 195, Sarikei 192, Kuching 171, Tebedu 170, Samarahan 169, Mukah 166, Sibu 162, Kapit 154 and Bintulu 151.

However, six stations registered moderate air quality levels.

Samalaju registered an API reading of 92, ILP Miri 67, Miri 65, Bario 64, Lawas 63 and Limbang 54.

Based on a report by the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) based in Singapore on 28 August 2026, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite images 20, there were 1,738 hotspots detected in Kalimantan, 36 hotspots detected in Sumatra and 6 hotspots detected within the country, namely one in Sabah and five in Sarawak.

Peat fires along Jalan Bungin Serembang in Saribas fully extinguished after seven days of operation

SARIBAS, Aug 29 2026: Peat fires along Jalan Bungin Serembang, Saribas, involving an area of about 33 hectares, has been fully extinguished after a seven-day operation.

Caption: Deputy Minister Razi Sitam inspecting the fire site to get the latest information

However, the affected area will continue to be monitored by the Fire and Rescue Department to ensure there are no signs of the fire rekindling.

Deputy Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development and Saribas State Legislative Member (SLM) Mohd Razi Sitam said follow-up monitoring was important to ensure the area remained under control.

He said this after inspecting the fire site to obtain the latest update on the firefighting operation.

He said inspections will be conducted every four hours as part of the monitoring efforts, while the cause of the incident remains under investigation by the authorities.

The firefighting operation involved Betong Fire and Rescue Zone team, Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) teams from Spaoh and Betong, as well as the Malaysia Volunteer Corps Department (RELA).

Cooperation among the agencies and personnel involved throughout the seven-day operation enabled the fire to be brought fully under control, thereby reducing the risk of the fire recurring in the area.