Drought Causes Wildfire in Many Areas
Drought Causes Wildfire in Many Areas
14 March 2012
published by www.thailandoutlook.tv
Thailand — Forest fire officers in Mae Hong Son Province rushed to extinguish a blaze near the entrance of Phra That Doi Kong Mu Temple after the torrid weather caused a wildfire. Meanwhile, the drought situation has worsened in many provinces.
Blistering weather and strong winds have caused wildfires to spread a number of times. More than 20 forest fire officials from Mae Hong Son’s Forest Fire Department spent more than one hour putting out a single blaze in the forest.
The latest fire occurred behind Phra Non Temple in Jong Kham Subdistrict of Muang District, next to the entrance of Phra That Doi Kong Mu Temple, the main tourist attraction in the province.
In Uthai Thani Province, the drought situation remains critical, and residents are now facing water shortages. Two locals, Bumrung, and his wife, Sunan Chanthanyakarn, along with residents from Nong Pak Ka Subdistrict in Muang District, have altered a modified tractor to make it a water truck.
They went pumping water and selling it to local residents in drought-stricken areas, earning them more than 1,000 baht per day. In Buri Ram Province, the drought situation also remains critical.
The latest update indicates that the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department has announced six drought-critical districts, including Muang, Lam Plai Mas, Chumni, Prakhon Chai, Ban Dan, and Bam Mai Chaiyapoj.
More than 30,000 households and 3,000 rais of farmland have been affected. In Sisaket Province, double-crop farmers in Nong Kae Subdistrict in Rasi Salai District have also begun to face drought, since areas in irrigated zones cannot discharge the water into the river.
Farmers have been forced to pump the water into their fields as the harvest season arrives. So far, more than 5,000 rais of farmland in Rasi Salai District have been affected by the drought crisis.
