Areas in two Chiang Mai districts where wildfires have been burning for the past two weeks have been declared disaster zones as local authorities battle to bring the fires under control.
Chiang Mai governor Nirat Phongsittithaworn announced on Monday that five sub-districts in Chiang Dao and Omkoi districts were designated disaster areas where emergency relief measures and wildfire monitoring were being stepped up. He said the move was necessary to help soldiers and state officials monitoring hotspots, preventing man-made fires and arresting and prosecuting offenders.
It is hoped that these measures will help contain the wildfires, while facilitating and expediting rescue operations, Mr Nirat said.
The wildfires in Chiang Dao district broke out on March 12 and have impacted 17 villages in Chiang Dao and Ping Khong sub-districts.
In Omkoi district, fires erupted on March 14 and have affected five villages in Yang Piang, Mae Tuen and Mon Chong sub-districts.
According to the Environment and Pollution Control Office, the haze resulting from the wildfires was affecting Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun and Mae Hong Son as of Monday.
Several areas in these four northern provinces experienced high levels of PM2.5, it said.
The ultrafine dust in some areas of Chiang Mai's Muang, Chiang Dao and Hod districts was classified as harmful to health, with PM2.5 levels ranging from 83.3 to 90 microgrammes per cubic metre (μg/m3).
The situation in neighbouring Lamphun's Muang and Li districts and Mae Hong Son's Muang and Pai districts was even worse with dust levels ranging from 89.5 to 110.2 μg/m3.
According to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda), 57 provinces, including Bangkok, recorded high PM2.5 dust levels Monday morning.
Hazardous concentrations of PM2.5 were reported in the North, the Northeast, the Central Plains and the East, with lower levels in the South.
Bueng Kan had the highest dust level at 146.2µg/m³, followed by Nong Khai (131.5), Loei (121.3), Nan (118.1), Phrae (117.6), Mae Hong Son (114.1), Lampang (106.4), Sing Buri (105.4), Uttaradit (104.2), Nong Bua Lam Phu (104), Chai Nat (103.8), Udon Thani (103.5), Phitsanulok (103.4), Phayao (103), Sukhothai (102.9) and Bangkok (99.7).
The safe level of PM2.5 set by the government is 37.5 μg/m3.
