Thailand battles forest fires as hot spots in Myanmar threaten to worsen kingdom’s haze situation

Of the 1,488 hotspots detected across Thailand, 614 were found in conservation forests. Read more at straitstimes.com.

BANGKOK - Thailand’s wildfire and haze situation remains a serious concern, with satellite data showing 1,488 hotspots nationwide on March 23, most of them concentrated in forest areas.

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, or GISTDA, said data from the Suomi NPP satellite using the VIIRS system found that more than 80 per cent of the hotspots were located in forest zones, underlining the growing threat to ecosystems and the worsening build-up of PM2.5 pollution in the atmosphere.

Of the 1,488 hotspots detected across Thailand, 614 were found in conservation forests, the highest number among all land categories, followed by 583 in national reserved forests.

Agricultural areas recorded 105 hotspots, while communities and other areas accounted for 90.

Agricultural land reform areas reported 87 hotspots, and roadside areas a further 9.

The data suggest that forest fires remain the main driver of the country’s current haze problem, with the concentration of hotspots in wooded areas posing a direct risk to both environmental systems and air quality.