Forest fires in Pak Chong extinguished after eight-day battle
Forest fires on Khao Loi mountain in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, have been extinguished after burning for eight days. Officials suspect the fires were initiated to facilitate a wildlife hunt.
Chaiwat Chuenkosum, governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, stated that multiple agencies, including the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), the Royal Forest Department, and local administration, collaborated to combat the fires.
Four helicopters were deployed for aerial water support across difficult terrain. The fire affected 1,700 rai of forest and was located approximately 5 kilometres from Khao Yai National Park.
On January 11, Chaiwat inspected the area by helicopter. Kris Poonkasem, head of the Nakhon Ratchasima Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, confirmed that ground inspections were carried out.
Volunteer police utilised a heat-sensing drone, revealing two to three small flames, likely from burning stumps.
Kitti Teawtrakulwat, director of the Forest Fire Control Division of the Royal Forest Department, mentioned the ongoing monitoring of the situation, expressing plans to verify the complete extinguishment of the fires over the next two days.
The DNP reported finding several 0.22mm bullet casings and wildlife traps, leading officials to believe the fires were started to drive wildlife for hunting purposes.
Engulfing flames
The initial fire in Pak Chong was reported on January 3 in a forested area behind Wat Udomsuk in tambon Phaya Yen, consuming 200 rai of forest before being suppressed that night.
A subsequent fire on January 5 in Ban Hua Krok, also in tambon Phaya Yen, was identified by the Royal Forest Department in Nakhon Ratchasima, affecting Khao Siad Ah Forest Reserve, Khao Nok Yung Forest, and Khao Ang Hin Forest.
Officials encountered challenges due to steep terrain and strong winds. By January 7, the fire had spread extensively, with the damaged area expanding to 1,000 rai. On January 10, the fire reached the mountaintop, with strong winds complicating control efforts.
A special joint command centre, led by Lieutenant General Boonsin Phadklang, Commander of the 2nd Army Area, and the Nakhon Ratchasima governor, was established.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment dispatched two helicopters on January 10, to drop water on the cliffs and mountaintops, reducing heat and slowing the fire’s spread.
The following day, two additional helicopters from the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and the Royal Thai Army were deployed. The Forest Fire Control Division under the DNP confirmed the fires were extinguished by Sunday.
Meanwhile, a forest fire erupted in Kanchanaburi’s Si Sawat district on January 10, destroying about 10 rai of forest on Nom Nang mountain.
Paitoon Intarabut, chief of the Salakphra Wildlife Sanctuary, reported that over 50 officials from the Huai Sadong Forest Protection Unit fought the blaze, with many wild animals observed fleeing the flames. It took officers over five hours to control the fire.
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