Mae Hong Son Choked by Wildfire Smoke as Northern Thailand Battles Rising Pollution
CHIANG MAI — Northern Thailand continues to grapple with worsening air quality as wildfires ravage forested areas, with Mae Hong Son emerging as the hardest-hit province, blanketed by unhealthy levels of ultra-fine dust (PM2.5) on Tuesday.
According to Maj Chaidaen Kritsuwan, deputy director of the Region 3 Forest Fire and Dust Control Centre, a total of 101 wildfire hotspots were detected across 17 northern provinces. Mae Hong Son topped the list with 61 active fires, followed by Chiang Mai (19) and Tak (5).
The poor air quality is beginning to pose serious health risks, particularly in Mae Sariang district, where PM2.5 levels reached 64.30 µg/m³, well above Thailand’s safe threshold. Other affected areas included Muang district in Sukhothai (43.30 µg/m³) and Mae Chaem district in Chiang Mai (41.70 µg/m³).
Most of the fire hotspots were located in forest reserves (45) and conservation forests (44), with a smaller number in agricultural areas (8). In the past seven days, a total of 504 hotspots have been recorded in the North, indicating a persistent and widespread fire problem.
Authorities are continuing intensive patrols of vulnerable forest zones and have urged local communities to refrain from all burning activities throughout April, in an effort to curb the worsening pollution.
The situation highlights the ongoing environmental and health challenges faced during Thailand’s dry season, where slash-and-burn practices and natural forest fires regularly push air quality to dangerous levels.
