Malaysia battles return of haze as fire sources remain difficult to pinpoint

PUTRAJAYA — Haze has returned to blanket sections of Malaysia as forest and land fires reignite across the region, presenting authorities with a complex puzzle in identifying and combating the pollution sources.

The resurgence of the atmospheric haze involves multiple fire types that operate across different terrains and ownership structures. Peat fires, which burn beneath the soil surface and can smoulder for extended periods, prove particularly difficult to detect and extinguish. Meanwhile, hotspots identified through satellite imagery often point to multiple simultaneous fire sources, some within agricultural zones including palm oil plantations, complicating attribution efforts.

Tracking the origins of haze requires coordination across borders and jurisdictions, as smoke can drift from neighbouring regions. Authorities must distinguish between fires on land designated for palm oil cultivation, protected forest reserves, and peatland areas, each presenting different legal and operational challenges for fire suppression.

The recurring nature of haze during certain seasons underscores the ongoing struggle to implement consistent prevention measures. Environmental agencies continue to monitor satellite data and ground reports to identify active fire locations, though the speed at which fires spread and the difficulty in accessing remote peatland areas hampers rapid response efforts across the country.