BANGKOK, April 24 (TNA) – The government is seriously trying to reduce hotspots and forest fires and such attempts include collaboration with communities to protect forests as their damage is great this year.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment reported that forest fires in the North this year were worse than those in the past three years. There were 6,921 hotspots consisting of 6,194 in forests and 727 in farmland. Helicopters operated 1,468 flights to pour 734,000 liters of water to put out the blazes. Forest fires were already under control but officials were trying to prevent them from recurring.
Thalerngsak Phetsuwan, deputy director-general of the Pollution Control Department, said local residents would be encouraged to prevent forest fires especially in frequent areas of hotspots.
He also said that the El Nino weather phenomenon caused and prolonged extreme heat, rain shortages and thus greater forest fires.
He expected forest fires would decline next year because their natural fuel was reduced. (TNA)
