Not sure why they don't teach Gardening at school and add some lesson on composting? The smoke is very unpleasant. But is it so bad as to better stay away and not ride? Just wondering as I fancy a trip...

Chris

Not been that bad at all this year. A little haze, but more rain than usual and its been raining now for a few days on and off. Apparently the rain is going to clear up tomorrow afternoon, at which point we'll know if it has taken the pollution down with it. I can't see much more burning after this rain has wet the ground.

My girlfriend had to take the bus to Mae Hong Song last week because the smoke obscured the runway she did fly back on Sunday as the air had cleared because of the rain. Chiang Mai hasn't been bad at all this year, have been able to see Doi Setup most days.. Around Mae Hong Song burning the leaves in the forest is the big problem.

Still raining at present

The air doesn't usually get really bad up north until April-May IMO. From what I understand there's been more rain than usual this year which so far has helped limit the burning somewhat.

The air doesn't usually get really bad up north until April-May IMO. From what I understand there's been more rain than usual this year which so far has helped limit the burning somewhat.

Actually it starts to get bad around late Jan or early Feb and has usually cleared by Songkran, often earlier. Last year was horrendous with the Air Qulaity Index above 150 almost all of late Feb and March but this year hasn't been anywhere near as bad and it's been raining for the last few days so that should help a lot.

Here's the air quality info, I'm in Chiang Rai which had an AQI of 39 yesterday which is about 150 lower than this time last year

http://www.pcd.go.th/AirQuality/Regional/default.cfm

Yeah this year's a good year - the PM10 was up to 91 in CM some time in March, below Thai government health hazard level of 120 but way over what's considered healthy in the west (below 60).

But there has been rain and it's cleaned the air more than usual, so this year is probably the best I can remember, at least in Chiang Mai.

The air usually gets a lot better just after Songkran when the rainy season starts - maybe this year rainy season came early?

In Feb. last year stayed in a monastary outside of Mae Hong Song. The burning had started in Jan. and was running into March when I left, several days we had to sweep leaves from the property line as the fires were burning into the Wats property and endangering buildings on the property.

This year I stayed at the monastary until January first and the leaves had not started falling.

I've been between CM and Chiang Dao a few times over the past few days and it is brilliantly clear. Last week the problem was 4 days of rain so the only problem was keeping the bike clean! I would get a trip in quick before things dry out and the burning begins again.