MSGID: 1:317/3 64344ec3
PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08
April 10, 2023 - Fires in Southeast Asia

   Fires
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   A thick gray pall from hundreds of fires burning in Southeast Asia
   blanketed the skies in early April 2023. The Moderate Resolution
   Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite
   acquired a true-color image of the intense air pollution on April 6.

   Fires, marked in red, are scattered across (from west to east) Myanmar
   (Burma), Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Smoke spans the entire scene, but
   is especially thick over large parts of Laos, Thailand, and the South
   China Sea, including the island of Hainan, China.

   Most of the fires in this image have undoubtedly been set for
   agricultural purposes, given the time of year and location. Fire has
   been part of land management practices in this area for hundreds or
   perhaps thousands of years, and are most abundant in late March to
   mid-April, which is the end of the dry season. While agricultural fires
   have benefits for land management and are not necessarily harmful in
   small numbers, they can escape to become damaging wildfires and, when
   burning is intense, can spawn air pollution that risks the health of
   both animals and people.

   According to local media, as of March 28 there were at least two large
   wildfires burning in Laos. One was in Phou Khao Khuay mountain in the
   Pakngum district, Vientiane, where more than 400 people were fighting a
   blaze estimated at more than 300 hectares. The other was located in the
   Phou Phanang National Forest, Sangthong district and had spread through
   three villages. Several other wildfires have been reported, including
   one burning in Chiang Rai province of Thailand, northeast of Chiang Mai
   in early April.

   The intense pollution from wildfires and agricultural fires prompted
   authorities in Thailand to urge people to work from home and avoid
   going outside. On April 7, Chiang Mai, Thailand was ranked the world’s
   most polluted city by the website IQAir, with levels of PM 2.5
   particulates measured at more than 66 times the World Health
   Organization’s (WHO) guidelines. PM 2.5 refers to tiny particles
   suspended in air that are two and one-half microns or less in width.
   Such extremely tiny particles can travel deep within the lungs when
   inhaled, and have been associated with premature mortality, increased
   hospital admissions for heart or lung causes, acute and chronic
   bronchitis, asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms, and emergency room
   visits.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:  Terra
   Date Acquired: 4/6/2023
   Resolutions:  1km (401.7 KB),  500m (1.3 MB),  250m (4.2 MB)
   Bands Used: 1,4,3
   Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2023-04-10
 
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