Volunteers urge public to avoid lighting fires in forest areas
Lampang-based volunteer groups Monday urged the public to refrain from lighting fires in forest areas following a report that over 1,000 rais of forestland in the northern province were damaged by fire.
Seksan Daengsai, the head of the “Hao Hak Mon Phrayachae” [We love Mon Phrayachae] project, said the Lampang forest fire is reaching a critical level. He said the situation was particularly bad in Doi Phrabat, the forest near Wang Hua Reservior and the wooded area at Tambon Pichai where a combined 1,000 rai of land was damaged.
Seksan said “Hao Hak Mon Phrayachae” and “We Love The King” Nakhon Lampang Club, of which he is also president, provided manpower and tools to aid the authority in extinguishing the fires.
He added that Lampang experienced extensive forest fires on a daily basis this year and urged people not to light fires in forest areas and avoid burning items outdoors that could spread to forest areas and contribute to unhealthy haze.
The Pollution Control Department’s Facebook page [www.facebook.com/PCD.go.th] said at 9am yesterday that the amount of particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) in the previous 24 hours at Lampang’s two stations exceeded the safe level; Mae Mo district reported 169 micrograms, while Muang district reported 158 micrograms.
The department will monitor Lampang, Lamphun, Nan and Phrae today as the PM10 levels were expected to rise.