A huge wildfire broke out late yesterday evening at Khuncharngkien in the Doi Suthep-Pui national park in Chiang Mai, forcing several hundreds of park, forestry officials and volunteers to immediately create buffer areas to prevent the fire from spreading into the famous Doi Suthep temple ground and the Phuphing royal winter palace.
It was not immediately known how the fire started but the deputy governor of Chiang Mai Mr Mongkol Suksai said last night that fire fighters could hardly get into the fire scene because of the high terrain of the area.
The fire which started at 3.30 pm yesterday has destroyed over 70 rai of forest area and was threatening the Doi Suthep temple and the royal palace.
They have created buffer areas to prevent the wildfire from spreading into other significant places at the national park, and the Northern Royal Rain-Making Centre was sought to help in fighting the fire.
By midnight last night, Chiang Mai governor Mr Pawin Chamniprasart said the wildfire could be temporarily controlled in limited areas after fire fighters could create buffer lines to prevent it from spreading downhill.
The situation has eased and kept under control, he said.
