Authorities are preparing to declare Sri Lanna National Park in Chiang Mai province a disaster zone due to the ongoing wildfires in the area.
After inspecting the fires yesterday, Chiang Mai governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn said the park will be declared a disaster zone due to the fire within the park.
Park officials are concerned the fire might spread due to the large amount of dried brush and wood in the park, which they fear could fuel the fire further, he said.
The governor then inspected the fire in Huai Mae Kua forest reserve in Mae Taeng district. He said the blaze in the area was started by local villagers.
When asked about the fires in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Mr Nirat said the fire reported near Huai Tung Tao Reservoir had been brought under control, though the situation remains volatile.
Meanwhile, the Pollution Control Department said that the levels of PM2.5 in the North remain a concern. The average concentration of PM2.5 dust in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son yesterday reached 269.2 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m³), far higher than the "safe" threshold of 50µg/m³.
