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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