KHON KAEN, Feb 13 (TNA) – Officials have reported smoke haze due to forest fires in several provinces in the
North and the Northeast of Thailand.
The Department of Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation
operated four rainmaking flights above Khon Kaen and Loei provinces in the
Northeast. The operations reduced the level of fine dust to 74 micrograms per
cubic meter of air in Khon Kaen in the past 24 hours. The safe threshold was
set at 50mcg.
In Loei province, forest fires on the Phu Sanao mountain
continued for three days. A storm made attempts of about 100 soldiers to put
out the blaze unsuccessful. The level of particulate matter with 2.5 microns
and less in diameter (PM2.5) was at 49mcg.
In Phayao province, fine dust measured at 81mcg. In Nan
province, the level was at 61mcg as wildfire was covering 32 rai of the
Nanthaburi National Park and the Huai Sai Daeng forest reserve. Officials
blamed the blaze on people setting fire to collect forest products.
In Chiang Mai province, the PM2.5 level was at 77mcg in
Suthep sub-district of Muang Chiang Mai district. The Chiang Mai governor
announced a ban on field burning that would take effect on March 1. (TNA)
