BALIK PULAU: The southwest of Penang breached the unhealthy level of over 100 in the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading today.
At 3am, the API in Balik Pulau was 102 before it rose to 114 about noon.
As for Minden, the API hovered between 95 and 97, three points away from the unhealthy level.
API readings are categorised as good (zero to 50), moderate (51-100), unhealthy (101-200), very unhealthy (201-300) and hazardous (301 and above).
State Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh advised those staying in the southwest of the state and its surroundings to restrict their outdoor activities.
"It is better for them to use face masks when they leave their homes and drink more water.
"As for the fishermen folk, it is advised that they restrict their activities at sea. Generally, we have now reached the yellow alert. By Penang's standards, which is coastal and with rain and wind, it is now in the danger zone.
"So with all these combined factors, it is better to restrict activities at sea, in particular, and outdoor, in general," he told the New Straits Times.
The present conditions will pass, Phee said, and expressed hope that it would clear following the northeast monsoon period.
"All enforcement agencies have been instructed to enforce the haze control and enforcement guidelines approved by the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry recently," he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said once the API reached danger levels, the mechanism to ensure public awareness must be activated.
"We will activate it, if necessary.
"We will discuss at tomorrow's state executive council meeting on the necessary health advice to be issued to the people here if the condition worsens," he added.