Forest fires in Chiang Mai made the city the world’s 8th most polluted on Saturday

[webfact]

 

Air quality in Chiang Mai province was measured at 153 on the US AQI listing on Saturday, being ranked as having the world’s 8th worst air quality, as forest fires rage and 150 hotspots were detected, according to the Pollution Control Department.

 

The most polluted city on Saturday, according to the US AQI, was Calcutta, with air quality being measured at 215, followed by Dhaka in Bangladesh (196), Lahore in Pakistan (184), Kathmandu in Nepal (180), Yangon (174), Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan (157), Krakow in Poland (154) and Chiang Mai (153).

 

The average level of PM2.5 across the entire province of Chiang Mai was 58.6µg/m³ on Saturday, which exceeds the safe threshold 37.5µg/m³.

 

Mae Chaem district recorded the most hotspots (48), followed by 27 in Hot district, 24 in Mae Wang, 19 in Chom Thong, 12 in Doi Tao, 3 in Chai Prakan, Omkoi, Mae Taeng and Galyani Vadhana, two in Phrao and Hang Dong, one in Samoeng and Mae Rim.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-03-04

 

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[flyingtlger]

I think there is a limitation as to what the local governments can do about forest fires especially because the cities and municipalities do not have the resources to set up and maintain a large firefighting force but farmers and automobile/truck/bus pollution can be controlled.

  

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Air quality in Chiang Mai province was measured at 153 on the US AQI listing on Saturday, being ranked as having the world’s 8th worst air quality, as forest fires rage and 150 hotspots were detected, according to the Pollution Control Department

Time the governor got serious with the locals.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

I think there is a limitation as to what the local governments can do about forest fires especially because the cities and municipalities do not have the resources to set up and maintain a large firefighting force but farmers and automobile/truck/bus pollution can be controlled.

  

Farmers and local scavengers of the forests are out of control... time the governor started to make an example out of them.

[JoePai]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Time the governor got serious with the locals.

Not just the locals, also over the border in Burma

[ourmanflint]

Can someone who knows more clarify that these fires are being set solely so people can pick some kind of forest mushroom that only grows after the fires? Or is it for crop production?

[BritManToo]

28 minutes ago, ourmanflint said:

Can someone who knows more clarify that these fires are being set solely so people can pick some kind of forest mushroom that only grows after the fires? Or is it for crop production?

It's all forest burning for mushroom hunters.

Don't think I've ever see a field on fire around Chiang Mai.

[sidjameson]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

It's all forest burning for mushroom hunters.

Don't think I've ever see a field on fire around Chiang Mai.

If that's the case, cheap solution...gov subsidiaries flood market with cheap mushrooms from eco friendly sources. Costs would be minimal compared to extra tourist revenue.

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

8 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

Can someone who knows more clarify that these fires are being set solely so people can pick some kind of forest mushroom that only grows after the fires? Or is it for crop production?

Mushrooms around our area the reason they burn.  Chiang Mai trying for top world spot AQI listing.