Raging forest fire adds to Loei’s air pollution woes

[webfact]

Raging forest fire adds to Loei’s air pollution woes

By The Nation

 

 

A fire that began on Saturday night continued to rage through a 500-rai forest reserve in Loei province Sunday afternoon.

 

As the smoke covered a wide area, causing concern among residents, soldiers were being mobilised to try and extinguish the blaze. 

 

“I am really worried – I’m afraid the fire will reach my home,” said Ratniya Phuthornsri, a neighbour of the Phu Huai Mak forest reserve. 

 

The smoke also posed a health threat to citizens of urban Loei. The Air4Thai application showed the Air Quality Index at 177 on Sunday morning, up from 142 the night before. The safe limit is 150.

 

The level of PM2.5 – airborne particulates of 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter – had also reached a worrying level of 81 micrograms per cubic metre of air as of publication time. The safe limit is 50.

 

Citizens were pointing out that the air pollution stemmed from cropland burn-offs in general, not just the forest fire. 

They said many farmers in the region were burning off weeds to clear their land for easier harvesting. 

 

It was also noted that the number of residents seeking hospital treatment for respiratory problems had risen lately. 

 

“I’ve seen more than 1,000 rai of sugarcane fields being burned every day, with the ash and smoke swirling around,” said Chalin Kanpaengsri, who chairs an environmental group in Loei. 

 

He said the authorities had so far taken no legal action against those setting the fires and suspected that the forest fire was sparked by a cropland fire.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30363853

 

 -- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-11

[DNPBC0]

There is no such thing as a 'safe limit' for PM2.5. There are arbitrarily adopted national standards, but these are way above WHO guidelines, and WHO makes it clear that there are no thresholds below which PM2.5 levels are safe.

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Citizens were pointing out that the air pollution stemmed from cropland burn-offs in general, not just the forest fire. 

They said many farmers in the region were burning off weeds to clear their land for easier harvesting. 

This is just rubbish. How do I know? Because Prayut has said it stems from factories and vehicles emitting black smoke - hence the police having a 'crackdown'.

Prayut never mentioned it was caused by crop burning, even though there are 'instructions' that it is not to happen.

He wouldn't be lying to us, would he?

[jaiyen]

This is an ongoing problem that nobody will take any responsibility or come up with sensible ideas and promote them.  The PM has gone very quiet on the subject now.   Time to leave Thailand. New meaning to LOS.......   LAND OF SMOKE  ! 

[Lupatria]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Citizens were pointing out that the air pollution stemmed from cropland burn-offs in general

...and the law enforcement does not apply here, as all cropland fires were caused by lightning, followed by spark-rain of cash flow.