Following weeks of forest fires and farmland burning, the tourist resort of Pai in Mae Hong Son province was reported to be choked with PM2.5 ultra-fine dust on Thursday morning at a dangerous 398 micrograms per cubic metre (g/m3), according to the authorities.
According to the Mae Hong Son operation center for fighting smog and forest fires, the PM2.5 level in Mae Saring district was measured at 132 g/m3 and at 196 g/m3 in Muang district.
PM2.5 (particulate matter with a safe limit of 50 g/m3) must not exceed 2.5 microns in diameter.
The district of Pai, which is Mae Hong Son’s northeastern border area, is centered at Pai town.
The center reported on Thursday that as of the end of Wednesday, satellite images in the northern province showed 313 forest fire locations.
It stated that as of Thursday morning, 190 forest fires have been detected by satellite, and that number is anticipated to increase throughout the day. In the districts of Pai (75), Muang (50), Khun Yuam (24), Pang Ma Pha (13), Mae Sarian (13), Sob Moei (8), and Mae La Noi (7), there were forest fire locations.
Arkhom Boonnonetae, the director of the Salawin wildlife sanctuary in Mae Hong Son, announced on Thursday that he had sent representatives to speak with the residents of Tambon Sao Hin in the Mae Sariang area and urge them not to burn weeds or harvest leftovers.
According to Sangkhom Kudchiangsaen, the Muang district chief, officials were sent out on Thursday to put out forest fires that were raging behind a gas station and the Thanyarak Hospital.
Anek Panthayom, director of the Pai operation center to combat forest fires, added that his organization had teamed up with the local government to spray water around Pai town in an effort to reduce the amount of PM2.5 in the air.
Anek added that the center also sent representatives to attempt and put out forest fires in Ban Sobsa village in Tambon Muang Paeng, which is close to Kalayaniwattana district.
