Pontianak parents urge school closures as haze hits hazardous level

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2 hours ago

Pontianak, W Kalimantan (ANTARA) – Parents in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, are urging local education authorities to close schools or switch to online learning as worsening wildfire haze raises concerns over children’s health.

“Smoke has thickened over the past three days. I hope schools are closed again or switch to online learning if conditions worsen,” Rahmawati said in Pontianak on Friday.

Rahmawati, whose child is a second-grade student at MIN 4 Pontianak, said the smoky conditions had raised concerns about her child’s health.

She said poor air quality could expose children to acute respiratory infections and other illnesses, particularly because they may spend time outdoors.

“Children play outside and do not fully understand the dangers of smoke. We hope the city government temporarily closes schools or introduces online learning,” she said.

Haze has affected parts of West Kalimantan, including Pontianak, since August, following land fires in several parts of the province.

A total of 3,759 hotspots were detected across West Kalimantan on Aug. 20, between midnight and 11 p.m. local time, authorities said.

Data from the West Kalimantan Disaster Mitigation Agency, based on monitoring by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), showed that 224 hotspots had high confidence, 3,389 had medium confidence and 146 had low confidence.

Ketapang recorded the most hotspots at 1,795, followed by Sanggau with 466, Landak with 268, Kubu Raya with 254, Kayong Utara with 200 and Melawi with 190.

Sekadau recorded 150 hotspots, Kapuas Hulu 126, Sintang 111, Bengkayang 95, Sambas 59, Mempawah 44 and Singkawang one. No hotspots were detected in Pontianak.

Hotspots are detected using VIIRS and MODIS sensors aboard NOAA-20, S-NPP, Terra and Aqua satellites, which identify temperature anomalies compared with surrounding areas.

Air quality in Pontianak was also classified as hazardous. IQAir data showed that the US AQI reached 491 at 9 a.m. on Aug. 21.

The reading fell into the “Hazardous” category, meaning pollution could pose health risks not only to vulnerable groups but also to the general population.

PM2.5 was the main pollutant, reaching 321 micrograms per cubic meter, according to IQAir.

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system. High exposure can increase the risk of respiratory problems and affect cardiovascular health.

IQAir data showed that Pontianak’s temperature was about 31 degrees Celsius, with winds blowing at 8 kilometers per hour and humidity at 51 percent.

IQAir’s hourly forecast showed the AQI remaining very high but gradually declining, reaching 466 at 10 a.m., 440 at 11 a.m., 413 at noon, 385 at 1 p.m. and 358 at 2 p.m.

Residents were urged to monitor air quality before going outdoors. Limiting strenuous outdoor activity during periods of severe pollution can help reduce exposure.

Residents can regularly monitor air quality through available services, as readings may change with weather conditions, wind direction and speed, and changes in pollution sources.