Firefighters are battling blazes in the Don Inthanon, Mae Tho and Ob Luang national parks in Chiang Mai. Facing major challenges. The local authorities in Chiang Mai are currently waging a fierce battle against the forest fires which are rife in three of its national parks: Don Inthanon, Mae Tho and Ob Luang.
This alarming situation has led to the urgent deployment of two teams from the “Sua Fai” unit to Mae Tho National Park, in a desperate attempt to stem the spread of the flames. The steep, mountainous terrain, accessible only on foot, is making the firefighters’ efforts particularly difficult.
Forest fires: efforts on the ground
The fire-fighting efforts intensified yesterday evening at around 7.30 pm, when new outbreaks were reported in the Doi Kaew sub-district, located within Doi Inthanon National Park. Kriangkrai Chaipiset, the head of Doi Inthanon National Park, emphasised that efforts are focused not only on fighting the flames but also on protecting local communities. Response teams are constructing firebreaks to prevent the fires from spreading towards inhabited areas.
According to data provided by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA). The situation is a cause for concern, with 65 hotspots detected in Chom Thong district. These are followed by several others in the districts of Hot, Doi Tao, Mae Chaem, Chiang Dao, Mae Taeng, Hang Dong, Omkoi, Mae Rim and Doi Saket. These figures highlight the scale of the threat facing Chiang Mai province, as well as the urgency of the ongoing response efforts.