Thailand On High Alert For Forest Fires

[george]

Thailand on high alert for forest fires

Dry weather heightens threat of jungle blazes

Forest fire control units are on high alert for wildfire flare-ups as the country approaches the peak of the dry season.

More than 10,000 forests have been ravaged by 609 forest fires since the start of the forest fire season in October last year, according to the Forest Fire Control Division.

Chiang Mai is the hardest hit with 262 fires destroying almost 2,000 rai of forests, followed by Chaiyaphum (72), and Prachuap Khiri Khan (39).

The four-day forest fire that destroyed over 200 rai of a reserve forest in Chumphon province and a forest fire in Phitsanulok that scorched about 300 rai of forest land on Friday are the most recent cases.

The country has 120 forest fire control stations with 4,000 firefighters.

If firefighters cannot bring a fire under control in a week, the fire control station overseeing the area can seek help from the navy and army, said Kraipetch Pansomboon, chief of the Forest Fire Control Division, under the National Park, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Department. But that rarely happens as forest firefighters are able to finish the job by themselves in most cases.

They have now developed more effective strategies to quickly douse bush fires after major fires destroyed parts of the country's prime forests, including the Huai Kha Khaeng wildlife sanctuary in Uthai Thani, Doi Inthanond National Park in Chiang Mai, and Phru Toh Daeng in Narathiwat province years ago.

One strategy is to work closely with communities living near forests to keep an eye out for fires. More than 90% of forest fires are caused by human activities, said Mr Kraipetch.

Thailand is currently on the "extreme" scale on the Southeast Asia Fire Danger Rating System which means there is a very high possibility of a large-scale forest fire breaking out, because of the dry weather.

Kiti Chayakul, chief of Chumphon's forest fire control station, said no casualties or reports of damage to houses had come in since the four-day forest fires in Sawi district.

The fire was caused by farmers who were trying to clear their farmland.

"It was only a small forest fire, but people were concerned because it occurred at the same time as Australia's deadly forest fires, which devastated huge areas and left scores of people dead," said Mr Kiti.

-- Bangkok Post 2009-02-15

[hardy1943]

I live in Chiang Rai there are outdoor burning of brush, dry grass, leaves and garbage every day. It seems like to me the locals get off on it and most unattended and smolder for hours.

[Seneque]

Warnings are everywhere, together with a substantial fine if you burn whatever... anyway total lack of enforcement means people do not care and burn ... and this is frustrating. But this year will probably be one of the driest ever, so the dangers are real.

[scotbeve]

Warnings are everywhere, together with a substantial fine if you burn whatever... anyway total lack of enforcement means people do not care and burn ... and this is frustrating. But this year will probably be one of the driest ever, so the dangers are real.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in Chiang Mai province, there's a ban on burning and yet one sees it everyday just about everywhere.

Also, wasn't there a large track of forest fire in Tak? It seems some of that smoke has drifted over to Ch. Mai.

[henryalleman]

last year I drove from Mae Hong Song to Mae Sot. I saw a lot of tree fires near the road, but nobody seems to care.

[londonthai]

More than 10,000 forests have been ravaged by 609 forest fires

a little confused what this statistic is about.

there is yet another recent thread about forest fires in the north of thailand

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Vigilant-Res...ml&hl=fires