Thai wildfires rage across 10 provinces in northern Thailand

An apocalyptic blaze threatens to engulf vast swathes of the northern Thai landscape, with an estimated 1 million rai (equivalent to 160,000 hectares) poised to succumb to wildfires between February 19 and 25, as revealed by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).

The inferno’s ominous reach spans 10 provinces including Tak, Lampang, Chiang Mai, Phetchabun, Nakhon Sawan, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phitsanulok, Uttaradit, and Kamphaeng Phet.

GISTDA investigators point the finger at local practices, citing that the conflagration is often ignited deliberately by farmers engaging in pre-planting or post-harvest burns.

Most concerning is the incineration of conserved areas within national parks and agricultural zones. The agency vows to combat the blazes with rigorous measures.

Utilising satellite technology, GISTDA reports a staggering 1,532 hot spots nationwide, with 671 menacing conserved wildlife areas, 340 encroaching upon national reserved forests, and 232 threatening agricultural lands. Shockingly, even lands allocated under Sor Por Kor (a scheme granting Ministry of Agriculture land to locals) aren’t spared, with 163 sites ablaze.

Kanchanaburi emerges as the epicentre of this fiery crisis, boasting a disturbing 221 hot spots alone, reported The Nation.

The regional panorama paints a grim picture, with Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam collectively grappling with over 4,700 hot spots, underscoring the dire magnitude of the situation.

In related news, a wildfire ravaged nearly 100 acres of the Samet Forest in Trat province from January 31 through February 1, with suspicions that locals secretly set the fire to forage for forest products. Despite the efforts of firefighting teams, the blaze remains uncontained and there are concerns it could spread to an adjacent 2,000-acre forest.

Thai authorities monitored the situation closely, including the safety of a nearby teachers’ residence, and have adjusted their firefighting strategy to counter the spreading flames.

In other news, more than 250 firefighters from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) have been deployed to the western forest complex to combat raging fires. With a whopping 1,600 hectares of forest already devastated, these brave souls are working tirelessly to prevent further destruction.