KUALA LUMPUR: The Industrial Training Institute (ILP) in Kuala Baram, Miri, was ordered to close today after the air quality there reached the hazardous level this morning due to haze from a fire.
Human Resource and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he had informed the Department of Environment (DOE) to instruct the ILP to close immediately.
“We will also inform the Education Department to advise schools in the vicinity affected by the haze to close,” he said when contacted.
Over the past week, a has fire raged through more than 80 hectares of forests near the ILP and sparked concern about the haze.
As at 11am, the DOE website showed the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading still at the hazardous level of 321 although it had dropped from 336 recorded at 10am.
Wan Junaidi said DOE personnel and a team of fire-fighters were being stationed at the location to monitor the situation and release water bombs to stop the fire from spreading. -- Bernama