Haze levels in Brunei touch danger mark

Earlier, school opening time was moved back by two hours to 9.00 a m because visibility is bad in the early morning, when normal mist mixes with the smoke from the fires. Schools in Brunei only recently reopened after authorities ordered them closed for two weeks last month because of the hazardous levels of haze.

Many parents have kept their children home even without schools being shut because of healthconcerns, while wealthier families in this oil-rich sultanate have left for extended holidays overseas.

Meanwhile, the US embassy denied reports of staff members being pulled out because of the environmental disaster caused by bush fires in Borneo, a vast island shared by Brunei with outlying provinces of Indonesia and Malaysia.

“Nobody has left the embassy. We are all full strength here. There is no evacuation at all,” a spokeswoman for the mission said. Staff are granted an additional “rest and recreation” leave if they wish, she said, stressing that it was a temporary measure.

An advisory issued by the US State Department warns travellers, especially those with respiratory conditions, to be aware that air pollution has reached unhealthy or even hazardous levels in Brunei. People were advised to stay indoors, drink plenty of liquids and wear protective masks if they must venture outside.