CHIANG MAI, THAILAND – Extensive wildfires in northern Thailand severely worsened air quality across several provinces, pushing PM2.5 levels far beyond the safety threshold of 37.5 micrograms and placing heavy strain on local residents.
Rising fire fronts in Chiang Mai
In Chiang Mai province, authorities recorded 180 wildfire hotspots between 1 January and 16 February, mainly concentrated in eight southern districts with dense forest and mountain terrain. Real-time drone footage from the Ban Sahakorn area in Mae On district showed a continuous fire line stretching over about 4.8 hectares, underlining the scale of the burned area.
Difficult firefighting in mountain terrain
In Mae Tha district in Lamphun province, fires were detected in high-altitude mountain zones, which made access for firefighters difficult and allowed only limited use of conventional firefighting methods. As a precaution, crews cut firebreaks to serve as protective lines, aiming to stop the flames from spreading to adjacent forest areas and nearby settlements.
Heavy smoke and suspected arson
In Mae Hong Son province, around 16 hectares of forest were destroyed in the Muang and Pai districts, according to official figures, further aggravating already high fine-dust pollution. Representatives of the authorities blamed local villagers, who allegedly set fires on purpose to make hunting easier or to gain better access to forest products, an issue that has long been sensitive in the region.
Hundreds deployed and nationwide monitoring
Several hundred firefighters and volunteers were deployed with heavy machinery, helicopters and drones, while high temperatures and dry conditions repeatedly reignited blazes and kept the situation volatile. To enable faster response during the dry season, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment ordered the creation of fire-watch centres nationwide to systematically monitor potential hotspots via satellite imagery and drones and to trigger early warnings.
Annual smog crisis fuels debate
Rising smog levels, forest destruction and health risks appeared to have become a recurring crisis in northern Thailand. The suspicion of human causes made the situation particularly sensitive and raised questions about whether tougher penalties and controls were needed, or whether the problems ran deeper in local land-use and livelihood practices.