CHIANG MAI: A total of 2,201 hotspots were detected across the North on Wednesday, most of them in conservation forests, according to the Region 3 centre for prevention and mitigation of air pollution.
Of the total, 1,388 hotspots were in the upper part of the region and 813 in the lower North.
The provinces with the highest number of hotspots were Tak (495), Uttaradit (237), Nan (212), Phrae (190) and Lampang (181). There were 1,214 in conservation forests, 783 in reserved forests and 25 in agricultural land reform areas.
The number of combined hotspots in the North during the past three months (Dec 1- Feb 28) was 31,971, compared to 13,351 during the same period in 2022, and 33,430 in 2021.
The hotspots are a major factor in raising PM2.5 levels above the government-set safe level of 50 microgrammes per cubic metre in most northern provinces.
Hotspot data from Gistda on Feb 28 shows five northern provinces with the highest number of hotspots: Tak (495), Uttaradit (237), Nan (212), Phrae (190) and Lampang (181). (Region 3 centre for prevention and mitigation of air pollution and Gistda)