News Forum - Thai wildfires rage across 10 provinces in northern Thailand

[Thaiger]

An apocalyptic blaze threatens to engulf vast swathes of the northern Thai landscape, with an estimated 1 million rai (equivalent to 160,000 hectares) poised to succumb to wildfires between February 19 and 25, as revealed by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA). The inferno’s ominous reach spans 10 provinces including Tak, Lampang, Chiang … …

The story Thai wildfires rage across 10 provinces in northern Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.

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[cowslip]

Don't underestimate the amount of fires that are down to humans.

Although fires are a natural part of forest life cycle they get big because they are suppressed by fire management until there is a critical build up of biomass. 

This year we are seeing near drought conditions and many areas are like a tinder box.

This was not unexpected, yet they don't appear to have been  very effective in preemptive measures.

Furthermore lots of fires are started by locals who practice slash and burn agricultural techniques. They take advantage of the dry conditions to burn away undergrowth to grow crops like maize but importantly it promotes the growth and accessibility of mushrooms.

In current conditions, these fires frequently get out of control.

However the authorities seem to have been ineffective in anticipating this.