February 14, 2025
BANGKOK – The North of Thailand is grappling with a surge in wildfires, with 401 hotspots detected across 17 provinces, the Region 3 Forest Fire Control Centre said.
Phetchabun province has been particularly affected, registering 82 hotspots – the highest in the region – with fires spreading across almost the entire province.
The latest data released at 7am on Thursday reveals the scale of the crisis. While specific data for other provinces was unavailable as of press time, Phetchabun’s 82 hotspots are of significant concern.
Of them, 32 are located in forest reserves, 21 in land reform areas, 15 in agricultural lands, 11 in protected forests and three in community areas.
Since February 1, the province has seen a staggering 587 hotspots in total. Land reform areas have been the worst affected, with 198 incidents, followed by forest reserves (161) and agricultural land (109) to name a few. Chon Daen and Si Thep districts have each seen 118 hotspots, while Wichian Buri has recorded 110, Lom Sak 98, and Nam Nao 34.
The fires have posed a direct threat to communities and even religious sites. In Nam Nao district, firefighters and local officials battled a blaze approaching the Buddha Raksa Practice Centre in Khok Mon subdistrict, while a quick response team managed to block a fire from engulfing the monastery.
Elsewhere, in Wichian Buri’s Phu Toei subdistrict, dramatic images shared online showed flames rapidly advancing towards homes. Fortunately, emergency services arrived promptly and extinguished the fire before it could cause significant damage.
The high number of fires, particularly in protected areas, underscores the challenges facing authorities in managing wildfires and protecting valuable natural resources. The causes of the blazes are still being investigated and further updates are expected from the Forest Fire Control Centre.
In a related development, authorities in Phetchabun province have intensified efforts to curb illegal burning after multiple violations of the province’s fire ban. Governor Saranyu Meethongkam has launched a campaign titled “Stop Burning, Stop Dreaming, For You, For Us”, aiming to raise awareness and prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, firefighters battling wildfires in the Khao Kho National Park have already consumed about 1.6 hectares of the forest. The fires continue to spread, posing a significant threat to the park’s ecosystem.