Wildfires destroy more than 2.6 million rai of land

[webfact]

Wildfires destroy more than 2.6 million rai of land

By Tossapol Boonpat 
The Nation

 

 

Forest fires have damaged more than 2.6 million rai of land in nine northern provinces, the Mae Hong Son forest fire and haze control centre said on Friday.
 

Citing a satellite image report by Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, the centre said that during January 1- March 16, 2,680,634 rai of land was destroyed in wildfires. 

 

The damage included 102,268 rai in Chiang Rai, 374,313 rai in Chiang Mai, 791,301 rai in Tak, 221,300 rai in Nan, 150,995 in Phayao, 176,107 rai in Phrae, 203,889 rai in Mae Hong Son, 470,009 in Lampang and 190,452 in Lamphun. 

 

As of 1.47am on Friday the daily satellite image report said Mae Hong Son had 124 hotspots (10 in Pang Mapha, 17 in Pai, 30 in Muang, 16 in Khun Yuam, three in Mae La Noi, 26 in Mae Sariang, and 22 in Sop Moei), the centre said.

 

An academic source at the Royal Forest Department said that people should not be overly alarmed about the high figure as wildfires swept through accumulated dried and flammable materials and most of the trees would produce new leaves and shoots. 

 

The source said that many tree seeds, having hard shells, also were thinning by the fire, so when the rainy season comes young plants can grow out of them in a faster rate than the unburned seeds. 

 

Mae Hong Son's level of PM2.5 – airborne particulates 2.5 microns or less in diameter – was at 104 micrograms per cubic metre of air, double the Thai safety limit of 50 mcg, said the Pollution Control Department (PCD) in its 9am report on the 24-hour average of PM2.5. 

 

The agency said the PM2.5 levels were between 66 mcg and 194 mcg in nine northern provinces. Tambon Wiang Phang Kham in Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district was worst off at 194 mcg followed by Tambon Huai Khon in Nan's Chalerm Phrakiat district (165 mcg), and Tambon Ban Tom in Phayao's Muang district (126 mcg). Chiang Mai's four stations cited PM2.5 levels between 69 mcg - 99 mcg with Chang Pheuk in Muang having the worst number of 99 mcg.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367605

 

 -- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-12

[worgeordie]

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

An academic source at the Royal Forest Department said that people should not be overly alarmed about the high figure as wildfires swept through accumulated dried and flammable materials and most of the trees would produce new leaves and shoots. 

 

That makes it OK then,......new leaves and shoots ready to burn next year

regards worgeordie

[ZeVonderBearz]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The source said that many tree seeds, having hard shells, also were thinning by the fire, so when the rainy season comes young plants can grow out of them in a faster rate than the unburned seeds. 

The wildlife that lived in these burnt areas, did they have hard shells? 

[monkeycu]

The upside of this is local farmers now have 2.6million rai of cleared land to use as they like until caught

[sweatalot]

and those idiots in charge of the land don't doe their damned duty

[SOTIRIOS]

.....have to wonder about the origins of these 'wild' fires....???

[Chassa]

Maybe it's not the same but forestry management in tropical Australia purposely burn the undergrowth to promote new growth when the rains come. They say Aboriginies have been doing the same for thousands of years although it's a good way to hunt too!

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, worgeordie said:

That makes it OK then,......new leaves and shoots ready to burn next year

regards worgeordie

Natures cycle!

[Vacuum]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

people should not be overly alarmed about the high figure as wildfires swept through accumulated dried and flammable materials and most of the trees would produce new leaves and shoots. 

Perfect for the next year burning.

[Ulic]

The headline is incorrect. It should not read 26 million rai of land destroyed, instead, 26 million rai of land perfectly prepared for next season's mushroom harvest. 

[The Deerhunter]

On 4/12/2019 at 3:19 PM, worgeordie said:

That makes it OK then,......new leaves and shoots ready to burn next year

regards worgeordie

And nothing left alive to eat them.

 

[user343434]

On 4/12/2019 at 2:46 PM, sweatalot said:

and those idiots in charge of the land don't doe their damned duty

Wildfires can be ignited by the sun and dew drops which can work as a magnifier.

 

But I reckon as much of the fires are human made by flipping a burning cigarette out of the car, burning garbage, playing children and of cause land gets purposely set on fire like sugar cane fields before harvest, or just for gaining new land.

 

So now tell me where you want the 'Idiots in Charge' waiting for the next fire, which suspicious person he shall watch?

Everyone is responsible by him/herself as long a single person is capable turning on the disaster.

 

[Burma Bill]

16 hours ago, Ulic said:

The headline is incorrect. It should not read 26 million rai of land destroyed, instead, 26 million rai of land perfectly prepared for next season's mushroom harvest. 

Sorry, it states 2.6 million rai of land - but I totally agree, a bumper harvest of mushrooms for the lucrative Chinese markets.

[wotsdermatter]

On 4/12/2019 at 3:43 AM, webfact said:

 

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by wotsdermatter