How Life on Earth Meant to Be!?

IN PROGRESS…

• TIA [September 24, Confidential 10]
• TNWG [October 22, Confidential 10]

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• CJ
  
• UUT
• IGE
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• OCT
• TML

FIRE-EARTH Report: China Choked by Heavy Smog (120202)

Background:

• China issues air pollution warnings in 79 cities across N, NW and Eastern China blanketed in heavy, potentially deadly smog.

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Teams and affiliated scientists.]

• Presentation available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

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FIRE-EARTH Top Ten Alerts

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Latest FIRE-EARTH DIRECTIVES, ALERTS, FORECASTS, BULLETINS and MESSAGES available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

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Sickening Acts of China

IN PROGRESS…

TIA [September 24, Confidential 10]
TNWG [October 22,Confidential 10]

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• Executive

FIRE-EARTH Report 103102

Sickening Acts of China: The End Game Can Only Be Catastrophe

[Prepared by affiliated political scientists.]

• China Report 103102 available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

All Groups

Latest FIRE-EARTH DIRECTIVES, ALERTS, FORECASTS, BULLETINS and MESSAGES available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

 

 

 

 

 

Planet China: Smog Affects 500 Million People

On the Margins of Sanity

About 250 million people across six provinces were affected by hazardous levels of smog, with another 280 million experiencing “heavy” pollution, according to various estimates.

“On Monday, the PM2.5 reading in many parts of northern China, mainly in Hebei and Henan, exceeded 500 micrograms per cubic meter. One reading in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei, exceeded 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter.”

Ghost Riders in the Sky? China chokes on smog: Caoxian County, east China’s Shandong Province. Severe smog pervading northern China worsened on Monday, smothering dozens of cities, stopping flights, closing roads… and disrupting life. (Image: Xinhua/Dong Xide)

Classifying Smog as a “Natural Disaster!”

Meanwhile, Beijing and Shanghai have attempted to
classify smog as a “natural disaster” so that the “authorities would not have to take full responsibility for it,” said a report.

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Red Alert for Severe Smog in N. China

Severe smog plagues N. China, triggers ‘red alert’ in Beijing, 22 other cities 

The red alert will be activated at 8 p.m. Friday for Beijing and 22 other cities and is expected to last through December 21, according to government media.

Taiyuan, the provincial capital of north China’s coal-rich Shanxi province, has also issued a red alert for severe air pollution, and will activate emergency measures at midnight Friday.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said another 20 cities including Shijiazhuang, Tianjin and Zhengzhou were expected to issue red alerts, with nine others on orange alert.

Hazardous Smog Smothering Much of Northern China

‘Red alert’ for dangerous air pollution extends to more areas in N. China

China’s Hebei Province and the port city of Tianjin saw their first-ever air pollution red alerts Wednesday, said a report.

Red alert is the most severe in China’s four-tier warning system, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Hebei province, which is home to six of the ten most polluted Chinese cities in November, issued its first red alert for smog Tuesday noon.

The cities of Baoding, Handan, Langfang and Xingtai had already issued red alerts before the provincial-wide alert came into effect, said the report.

On Monday night, Tianjin also issued its first red alert for air pollution, which will last from 0:00 a.m. Wednesday to 6:00 a.m.Thursday, according to a government statement.

During the red alert, only half of the cars will be allowed on the roads; “enterprises and public institutions will adopt flexible working hours and large outdoor activities and construction work will be suspended.”

Particle pollution contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream. Source: EPA

Additionally, schools will also cancel classes. “Key polluting industries will cut production as continuous cleaning operations are conducted in the city’s downtown areas.”

Beijing was hit with severe air pollution on Tuesday, with pollution levels expecting to reach grade six on a six-grade pollution gauging system in the southern part of the city later in the day, according to Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center (BMEMC).

“Affected by increased humidity and temperature inversion, the density of PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers used to measure air quality) may exceed 500 micrograms per cubic meter on Tuesday,” the report quoted an environmental expert from BMEMC.

PM2.5 reached a two-day high of  506 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing as of 4:00 p.m Tuesday, according to http://aqicn.org/city/beijing/.

Heavy smog has hit the country’s Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region on three occasions since late November. Low wind speed, high humidity and unfavorable wind conditions are the main causes of the smog…

Other parts of north China also experienced some of the worst smog so far this year starting Saturday.

• Orange, yellow and blue alerts have been issued in cities in the provinces of Henan, Shandong and Liaoning.

• The PM2.5 level was 248 micrograms per cubic meter in Shenyang as of 7:00 p.m Tuesday.

Poor visibility caused by heavy fog and smog, affected the trains on high-speed rail linking Shenyang, capital city of Liaoning, and the coastal city of Dalian. The trains were forced to reduce speed to 200 km/hr down from the normal 300km/hr, the report quoted the Shenyang railway bureau as saying

• Some 15 highways in Liaoning Province were either completely or partially closed, according to the local transportation department.

• In addition, 15 highways in Liaoning Province were either completely or partially closed, according to the local transportation department.

 

HAZARDOUS SMOG: BEIJING ISSUES 2ND EVER RED ALERT

Heavy smog to choke Beijing again – Sat. through Tue.

“The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. Saturday to 12 p.m. Tuesday, limiting vehicles on roads according to odd-even license plate numbers and banning fireworks and outdoor barbecue, the Beijing municipal heavy pollution emergency response headquarters said on Friday,” said a report.

The smog event will be worse than the previous spell between Dec. 6 and 9, when the pollution index exceeded 500, reported the National Meteorological Center on Thursday.

The smog is expected to blanket a sizable portion of the country, encompassing more than a dozen major cities and surrounding areas.

Beijing authorities have advised residents to avoid outdoor activity and for schools to stop classes.

The red alert—the highest of a four-level alert system, operating since 2 years ago—also triggers restrictions on industrial operation, construction work and vehicle use.

Beijing residents have been advised to avoid outdoor activity and kindergartens, primary and middle schools are expected to suspend classes during the alert, said the report.

Smog Selfie

Beijing’s 1st ever red alert for smog  to last through Thursday noon

At 23:00 local time on Tuesday, the PM2.5 AQI in Beijing was 346 [“Hazardous”] down from a recent high of 400.

[The EPA’s revised breakpoints for the upper end of the hazardous air pollution band, AQI of 401 – 500, is equivalent to PM2.5 concentration of 350.5 – 500 μgm−³ averaged over a 24-hour period.  —Editor]

Original caption: A tourist takes photo of the Forbidden City amid heavy fog at the Jingshan Park in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 8, 2015. The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. on Tuesday to noon on Thursday. Under a red alert, the city’s emergency management headquarters has advised kindergartens, primary and high schools to suspend classes, banned outdoor operations on construction sites and required some industrial plants to limit or stop production. Car use will be limited during the red alert period as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 percent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd/even basis. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Original caption: This combination photo shows the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests of the Temple of Heaven, taken on June 14, 2015 (L) and Dec. 8, 2015 (R), in Beijing, capital of China. Beijing has issued its first red alert for air pollution under a four-tier emergency response system created in October 2013. The red alert, the most serious level, will last from 7 a.m. on Tuesday to noon on Thursday. Under a red alert, the city’s emergency management headquarters has advised kindergartens, primary and high schools to suspend classes, banned outdoor operations on construction sites and required some industrial plants to limit or stop production. Car use will be limited during the red alert period as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 percent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd/even basis. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua). More images…

Related Links

• Hazardous Air: Beijing Finally Issues a ‘Red Alert’ December 7, 2015

Hazardous Air: Beijing Finally Issues a ‘Red Alert’

Smog must be serious!

Beijing has issued its first ever “red alert”  as smog levels continue to build up.

The red alert means schools must close and outdoor construction have to stop, probably for the next three days.

The red alert, the highest available, which has not been used in the Chinese capital before, means authorities expect at least three consecutive days of hazardous smog.

The PM2.5 AQI in the city were 249 at 24:00 local time, down from a recent maximum of 428, and much lower than last week’s levels that easily exceeded 600.

The red alert indicates that hazardous pollution levels are forecast over the next three or more days.

Additionally, China’s weather observatory has issued an orange alert for smog in northern China, which is expected to linger through Tuesday evening, reported the state-run Xinhua news agency.

“Beijing, Tianjin, parts of the neighboring provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shandong, as well as Shanxi, Shaanxi and parts of Jiangsu and Anhui provinces in east China will face moderate smog, with south Beijing to experience heavy smog, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.”

Environmental activists said the AQI reached a record 1,400 in the city of Shenyang the last week of November, the highest in the country, according to reports.

Related Links

• Beijing Issues ‘Crazy Smog’ Alert Posted on November 30, 2015
• ‘Breathtaken’ Beijing Besotted by Beastly Smog (AGAIN) Posted on January 15, 2015

Beijing Issues ‘Crazy Smog’ Alert

Self-imposed “house arrest” for N. China; potentially deadly consequences if they break the “curfew”

Heavy smog covers a massive area measuring 530,000 km² around Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, as hazardous air pollution chokes 31 cities, said CCTVNews.

A thick blanket of smog, containing potentially deadly pollution, covered 31 cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi and Henan on Sunday and Monday, prompting authorities to issue a ‘crazy smog’ alert.

Resident in Beijing and other affected cities have been advised to stay indoors.

Smog will persist in most parts of north China through Wednesday, said the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Image source: http://aqicn.org/

Meanwhile,  the air quality in the Indian capital, New Delhi, also plunged into “hazardous” territory as thick smog choked the city, reducing visibility to about 100 meters.

Smog Plagues N China

China issues yet another smog alert

China’s weather observatory issued a smog alert on Tuesday for the country’s north and northeast, said a report.

“Beijing, Tianjin, parts of the neighboring provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shandong, as well as parts of northeastern Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces will be shrouded in moderate smog from Tuesday to Wednesday, and Liaoning Province will suffer from heavy smog, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast.”

State of Emergency Declared in Sumatra’s Riau Province due to Smoke from Forest Fires

Malaysia closes schools as blanket of smoke covers Kuala Lumpur, adjacent states

Malaysian schools have been ordered closed as a hazardous smog from Indonesian forest fires blankets the capital, multiple states and neighboring Singapore.

At least 34 of Malaysia’s 52 air quality stations were recoding  unhealthy air levels on Tuesday, according to local reports.

Meanwhile, Indonesian authorities declared a State of Emergency in Sumatra’s Riau province as hazardous levels of pollution were reported in multiple regions, including Sumatra and Borneo.

“Tens of thousands of people in smoke-choked regions of Sumatra and Borneo have fallen ill, while air travel there has also been disrupted due to poor visibility,” said a report.

Environmental Emergency Declared in Santiago amid Hazardous Smog

Suffocating smog forces Chilean govt. to declare state of emergency in Santiago

Chilean officials have declared an environmental emergency in response to PM2.5-rich smog in the capital, Santiago.

The emergency measures requires about 3,000 factories and other polluting businesses to stay closed on Monday. Additionally, 40 percent of the capital’s 1.8 million cars will stay off the roads, said Santiago regional governor Orrego Larrain.

“We’re currently facing unusual conditions, with one of the driest Junes in over 40 years as well as really bad air circulation conditions over the Santiago valley in recent days, which boosts the concentration of contamination,” said  the Environment Ministry.

The restrictions would remain in place for 24 hours, while dangerously high pollution levels persists, but can be extended if no improvement in the conditions results.

Meanwhile, the health officials have urged Santiago residents to avoid outdoor exercise, while the emergency measures last.

Santiago [metro population: ~ 7.5 million] is located in Chile’s central valley, at an elevation of 520 m (1,706 ft) above the sea level.

Who Needs BioChemical Weapons?

Large clouds of yellow sand, smog from China plaguing Korean Peninsula, Japan

Westerly winds are blowing high levels of yellow sand and smog from China across Korean Peninsula and Japan, posing a potential hazard across the region.

Korean Peninsula has received massive levels of yellow sand and smog since Sunday, while much of Japan is experiencing varying degrees of air pollution imports from China.

The smog prompted Korea Meteorological Administration to issue yellow dust warnings and advisories for much of the country, including Seoul, Incheon, Gwangju and several other surrounding cities on Sunday.

The massive clouds of yellow dust, which originate in the deserts of Mongolia, northern China and Kazakhstan, are often laden with potentially deadly cocktails of bacteria and industrial pollutants.

Air Pollution in Asia: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map. Source: http://aqicn.org/map/ – Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 16:00UTC.

Hwangsa, also known as ‘yellow sand,’ ‘Asian dust,’ or ‘yellow wind,’ originates in the deserts of Mongolia, northern China and Kazakhstan, usually engulfing cities in Korean Peninsula and Japan during early spring. Image source: U.S. Govt.

‘Breathtaken’ Beijing Besotted by Beastly Smog (AGAIN)

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
APOCALYPTIC SMOG
SCENARIOS 797, 699, 444, 404, 402, 222
.

China issues a “yellow alert” as  deadly air pollution lingers in Beijing

Air pollution has again soared to hazardous levels in Beijing since Saturday, reaching nearly 30 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Levels of deadly PM2.5 particulates in Beijing climbed to 546 micrograms per cubic meter on Thursday.

A government official in Sichuan Province has blamed the persistent smog on smoking bacon, the traditional method of preserving pork meat and sausages in the region, said the official Xinhua news agency.

However, independent experts put the blame for the city smog squarely on car emissions, construction and industrial production.

A formula for calculating the AQI from the concentrations of various air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, CO, SO2, NO2 …)  is posted HERE.

Smog related links

• Red Tides Attack Shenzhen; Beijing Issues Air Pollution Alert November 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Shrouds Beijing, North China (AGAIN) October 9, 2014
• Besotted by Beijing
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• Chinese Cities Unfit for Living March 8, 2014
• You’ve Created a World Unfit for Living February 28, 2014
• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China  February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014

‘RED’ Alert This Time?

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
PROLONGED, RECURRING SMOG
SCENARIOS 797, 699, 444, 404, 402, 222
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Beijing PM2.5 AQI reaches 583; surrounding regions jump off the charts

Beijing health authorities ought to create  new categories for Air Quality Index (AQI) above and beyond the existing EPA health breakpoints, which end with ‘Hazardous.’ Recommendations include ‘DNA-Changing,’ ‘Lung-Sludging,’ “Carcino Delight,’ ‘Two Blocks,’ ‘Breath Taker,’ … and so on.

Image of the Day

Source: http://aqicn.org/city/beijing/

Related Links

• Hazardous Smog Shrouds Beijing, North China (AGAIN) October 9, 2014
• Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang March 27, 2014
• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• eijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again October 28, 2013

Hazardous Smog Shrouds Beijing, North China (AGAIN)

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
PROLONGED SMOG
SCENARIOS 797, 699, 444, 404, 402, 222
.

BEIJING AQI tops 460 and rising

Beijing authorities issued a yellow alert for air pollution on Wednesday amid rising air pollution levels, with smog forecast to continue through weekend, official Xinhua reported.

Northern China’s Hebei province (population: 75 million) and Tianjin (a northern metropolis and one of the five national central cities in China; population: ~ 16 million) and have also issued yellow alerts, the second highest on the national air pollution scale.

Air quality index (AQI) in downtown Beijing reached 462 (extremely hazardous) on Thursday at 19:00UTC, and was rising, according to http://aqicn.org

Related Links

• Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang March 27, 2014
• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

Heavy smog and fog shroud huge swathes of China

Heavy smog and fog shrouded huge swathes of China prompting the authorities to issue a red alert in Shenyang the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, March 27, 2014. Photo: Xinhua/Jiang Bing

Beijing AQI

Meantime, Beijing AQI reached a high of 477 on Thursday and was hovering above 350 level, as of posting.

AQI levels of 300 or greater are categorized as “hazardous” and require mandatory health warnings because everyone may experience very serious health effects.

Related Links

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

Killing Life in Beijing

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

‘The great virtue of Heaven and Earth is creating life’  —I Ching

China issued a “yellow alert” yesterday amid 5th consecutive day of deadly air pollution in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Provinc . Beijing AQI reached a peak of of 417 at 11:00 am local time on Wednesday.

“Foggy weather will appear in north China and areas along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers, while some parts of Beijing and Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Liaoning will see heavy air pollution until Wednesday morning, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said on Tuesday,” Xinhua reported.

“Yellow” is the 2nd lowest [despite the life-threatening smog] of a four-tier alert system—red, orange, yellow, blue—indicating the severity of air pollution.

The reoccurring heavy smog episodes have been described as “Apocalyptic” by Beijing residents.

AQI for Beijing and surrounding areas. Source: aqicn.org

Related Links

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• Chinese Cities Unfit for Living March 8, 2014
• You’ve Created a World Unfit for Living February 28, 2014
• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China  February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Chinese Cities Unfit for Living

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
TOXIC AIR POLLUTION
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Nearly all Chinese cities monitored for pollution in 2013 failed to meet environmental standards: Senior official

About 96 Chinese cities monitored for pollution in 2013 failed to meet environmental standards, said Wu Xiaoqing, China’s vice-minister of environmental protection.

Of the 74 cities monitored by Beijing, 71 had various degrees of problems, said Wu at a news conference on Saturday, Reuters reported.

The only three cities that met the standard were the flood-prone city of Haikou in the island province of Hainan, Llasa, the capital of quake-prone Tibet, and the coastal resort city of Zhoushan.

China’s pollution problems can only be solved through fundamental changes to the way the country develops its economy, said Wu.

“When we were chasing GDP growth, we were also paying the price of pollution, and this price is heavy, is massive.”

“China will cut outdated steel production capacity by a total of 27 million tonnes this year, slash cement production by 42 million tonnes and also shut down 50,000 small coal-fired furnaces across the country, according to the government work report delivered by Premier Li on Wednesday,” said Xinhua.

Beijing AQI

Meanwhile, the Beijing AQI for PM2.5 hit 255 (Very Unhealthy) on Saturday, before falling slightly to 249, as of posting. [Temp: 4°C; range  -3°C to 12°C]

Related Links

• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing  February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Thousands of Fires Caused by Dry Spell in Malaysia

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DRY SPELL
LARGE SWARMS OF WILDFIRES
WATER FAMINE
“STATE OF CRISIS”
.

Water rationing enforced as thousands of wildfires plague Malaysia

The state of Selangor, Malaysia’s wealthiest state, began water rationing on Tuesday as their reservoirs dipped to critically low levels.

“We pledge that every consumer will receive water, but it will be rationed to ensure supply every two days,” the state chief minister was reported as saying.

“In a week, consumers will receive water for four days.”

Meanwhile, authorities revealed more than 7,000 forest and bushfires had been reported throughout the country since early February, five times the normal.

The state of Negeri Sembilan, near the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, has already declared a “state of crisis” due to water shortage.

“In peninsular Malaysia, 15 areas have not had rainfall in more than 20 days, with some of them dry for more than a month, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department. The dry weather is expected to run for another two weeks,” reported Reuters.

SE Asia 30-day precipitation anomaly (mm) for 27 Jan. – 25 Feb. 2014. Source: cpc.ncep.noaa

Singapore

The city-state of Singapore has experienced its longest dry spell on record, between January 13  and  February 8,  and has received little rain since.

Authorities say the dry weather contributed to the death of fish stocks at offshore aquaculture facilities. More than 160 tons of fish have perished recently due to a lack of oxygen in the water.

Indonesia

Governor of Riau declared a province-wide state of emergency as forest-clearing fires raged out of control due to drought.

Smog caused by record air pollution has enveloped a large region of Sumatra, forcing the pollutants standard index (PSI) to climb to a hazardous 778, and prompting authorities to close schools and urge residents to stay at home.

Forest-Clearing Fires in Indonesia

Many of the fires, started intentionally to clear the forests, have been raging since early February, engulfing forests in six provinces on Sumatra Island.

Smoke rises from a burning forest in Sumatra. Credit: Antara/FB Anggoro. Image may be subject to copyright.

Satellite images showed more than 700 hotspots in Sumatra alone on February 15, nearly twice the number the previous day, with at least 600 of the blazes in Riau Province , said a report.

“We have asked the central government to help with fighting fires by sending aircraft,” said the newly-sworn-in governor of Riau.

“If it’s just helicopters, we won’t be able to cope.”

Raging Forest Fires: State of Emergency Declared in Riau, Indonesia

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
DROUGHT
FOREST CLEARING FIRES
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

RIAU declares a state of emergency amid major forest fires

RIAU declared a province-wide state of emergency amid forest-clearing fires raging out of control due to drought.

Smog caused by record air pollution has enveloped a large region forcing the pollutants standard index (PSI) to climb to a hazardous 778, and prompting authorities to close schools and urge residents to stay at home.

Port officials along the Strait of Malacca, meanwhile, issued multiple warnings as visibility plunged to below 50m.

Riau Province is located in the central eastern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia’s largest island, along the Strait of Malacca.

Forest-Clearing Fires in Indonesia

Many of the fires, started intentionally to clear the forests, have been raging since early February, engulfing forests in six provinces on Sumatra Island.

Smoke rises from a burning forest in Sumatra. Credit: Antara/FB Anggoro. Image may be subject to copyright.

Satellite images showed more than 700 hotspots in Sumatra alone on February 15, nearly twice the number the previous day, with at least 600 of the blazes in Riau Province , said a report.

“We have asked the central government to help with fighting fires by sending aircraft,” said the newly-sworn-in governor of Riau.

“If it’s just helicopters, we won’t be able to cope,” he added.

Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China

FIRE-EARTH Models show smog affecting at least 500millon people in China, or 37% of the population.

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
“APOCALYPTIC SMOG”
.

NO “Red Alert” for Beijing despite 6th consecutive days of hazardous smog

Satellite remote monitoring showed 980,000km², or 10 percent of the country,  blanketed by smog Sunday including Beijing and the provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, and Shanxi.

Beijing entered its six consecutive day of hazardous smog (AQI above 300), described by as “Apocalyptic smog” by the residents, on Tuesday. However, the authorities have failed to issue a “Red Alert” for the capital, breaking their own rules.

“A red alert indicates the most serious air pollution (AQI above 300) for three consecutive days. An orange alert indicates heavy to serious air pollution (AQI between 200 and 300) alternately for three consecutive days. A yellow alert indicates severe pollution for one day or heavy pollution for three consecutive days,” said a report.

Beijing was placed on “Yellow Alert” on Thursday, but the alert was upgraded to “Orange” for the first time on Friday, where it has stayed since.

The poisonous smog is forecast to linger until at least Thursday, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Smog shrouds the Imperial Palace in Beijing, China, Feb. 24, 2014. Many parts of China have been enveloped by poisonous smog since last week. The potentially deadly pollution will linger in Beijing until at least Thursday,  forecasters said.  (Photo: Xinhua/Li Wen)

Beijing AQI

PM2.5 AQI for Beijing was 413 , indicating a PM2.5 concentration of between 350.5 and 500.4  micrograms per cubic meter (µgm–³), as of posting. (PM10 AQI: 240+; Temp: 2°C ; Range: 0°C to 12°C; Pressure: 1028hpa).

Pollution levels below 15.4µgm–³ (AQI of up to 50) are considered as “safe.”

A formula for calculating the AQI from the concentrations of various air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, CO, SO2, NO2 …)  is posted HERE.

Related Links

• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398 February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing  February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
‘APOCALYPTIC SMOG’
.

Life-threatening smog choking N China won’t disperse anytime soon

 The potentially deadly smog is forecast to continue for at least three more days in Beijng, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, and Shaanxi provinces in north China, said the National Meteorological Center.

Beijing was finally placed on “orange alert”  for the first time on Friday. Municipal authorities have ordered manufacturing plants in the city to suspend or reduce production, and barbecues are disallowed, Xinhua reported.

Photo: xinhuanet.com

Beijing AQI

PM2.5 AQI for Beijing was 411 , indicating a PM2.5 concentration of between 350.5 and 500.4  micrograms per cubic meter (µgm–³), as of posting. (Temp: 7°C ; range -1 ° to 10°. Pressure: 1025hpa).

Pollution levels below 15.4µgm–³ (AQI of up to 50) are considered as “safe.”

A formula for calculating the AQI from the concentrations of various air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, CO, SO2, NO2 …)  is posted HERE.

Related Links

• Beijing 398 February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing  February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Beijing 398

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
APOCALYPTIC SMOG
.

KILL the SMOG or EVACUATE Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Liaoning, Shanxi, Shaanxi… before you run out of options!!

“Apocalyptic smog” smothered large parts of central, northern, northeastern and eastern China for the third consecutive day, reportedly prompting the Ministry of Environmental Protection to send 12 inspection teams to Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and surrounding areas to check the response to the pollution (!)

Beijing AQI.  Source: waqi. info

Related Links

• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing  February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013
• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
APOCALYPTIC SMOG
.

Hazardous Smog in China to Last for a Week: Officials

Beijing authorities on Thursday issued a derisory “Yellow Alert” for the Chinese Capital as heavy air pollution enveloped the region. The smog, previously described as “Apocalyptic” by the residents, is forecast to last for a week.

“Beijing, its neighbors Tianjin and Hebei Province, as well as central and western Shandong Province can expect heavy air pollution to linger for a week, according to a joint weather forecast issued by the China Meteorological Administration [CMA] and the Ministry of Environmental Protection,” said a report.

CMA believes the smog will last for a week because there is no cold front in sight to help disperse it, said the report.

PM 2.5 AQI had risen to 374 and PM10 concentration was hovering above 160µgm–³, as of posting.

Pollution levels below 15.4µgm–³ (AQI of up to 50) are considered as “safe.”

A formula for calculating the AQI from the concentrations of various air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, CO, SO2, NO2 …)  is posted HERE.

) as “safe.”

“Yellow” is the 2nd lowest of a four-tier alert system—red, orange, yellow, blue—indicating the severity of air pollution.

Map of air pollution in SEA. Source: waqi. info

“A red alert indicates the most serious air pollution (AQI above 300) for three consecutive days. An orange alert indicates heavy to serious air pollution (AQI between 200 and 300) alternately for three consecutive days. A yellow alert means severe pollution for one day or heavy pollution for three consecutive days,” said Xinhua.

Related Links

• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014
• “Breathtaken” Beijing Brown January 16, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Smothers China January 14, 2014
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Paralyzes Much of China December 6, 2013
• “Apocalyptic” Smog Turns Skies Yellow in North, East China December 5, 2013
• Shanghai Air Pollution Shoots Off the Chart Posted on December 2, 2013

• China’s Air Quality Chart Goes Apesh*t Again  October 28, 2013
• Air Pollution Levels Climb in China, India  October 27, 2013
• It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse! October 22, 2013
• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency October 21, 2013
• Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures October 6, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’  October 4, 2013
• Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China September 30, 2013

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.