Responses in The Region
The 1997/98 smoke haze episode resulted in an intensification of the regional measures towards cooperation in fire and smoke management, that were initiated in the aftermath of similar episodes in 1991 and 1994. For example, Malaysia sent a contingent of firefighters to assist with the efforts to control the forest fire under code name Operation Haze. Other measures include the establishment of ASEAN Haze Technical Task Force and the implementation of Regional and National Haze Action Plans. These plans define the ASEAN’s countries contributions to fire prevention, monitoring, fighting and other mitigation measures. Among others, it is also targeted to upgrade the national air quality and meteorological monitoring networks in order to strengthen the region’s early warning and monitoring system in respect to smoke haze.
This incident demonstrated that in addition to sound fire management, a fundamental revision of the current land conversion and fire use policies is required, to prevent the recurrence of similar episodes. Ground-based and airborne investigations of the smoke haze indicated that fires on peat swamp vegetation made a substantial contribution to the smoke haze development. However, this vegetation is estimated to have contributed only 30% of the total area burnt. Given this apparent particular relevance of peat swamp fires to the development of transboundary smoke haze, emission reduction and control strategies will have to focus on the prevention of fires in this type of vegetation as a priority.
Future land use management will also have to consider 'air use' management. The health impact and economic damages of the 1997/98 haze demonstrated the damage such events can have on public and economic prosperity in the Southeast Asian region, and the importance of controlling future haze events.
Read more about this topic: 1997 Southeast Asian Haze
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