Two helicopters, from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and an air force (RTAF) transport plane, have been helping to control forest fires in Doi Saket and Samoeng districts of Chiang Mai.

Mr. Chakra Didsayanan, head of the Samoeng fire control station said, in his report today (Tuesday), that fire-fighters from the Yewfai unit of the Royal Forest Department and village volunteers have set up a fire break and managed to control the fires to a certain degree with the help of two helicopters, which dropped water onto the fires on the mountains in Samoeng Tai sub-district.

He admitted that the steep and rocky mountains and thick bamboo have posed obstructions to controlling fires, which are being blamed on forest product hunters.

In Doi Saket district, an RTAF drone on routine patrol detected a long line of hot spots in national forest reserves in Pa Miang sub-district.  A transport plane dropped water onto the fires, which appeared to cover an area of about 4 square kilometres.

Meanwhile, on the ground, fire-fighters, from the Huay Hong Krai Khun Mae Kuang unit, and volunteers were sent to extinguish the fires.

90 hot spots were detected in Chiang Mai today and the levels of PM2.5 in the air, as measured by four stations in the Muang district, are above standard safety levels.