A HELICOPTER from the Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department made eight trips to drop water on a forest fire raging atop a Krabi hill for three days now and if the blaze worsens this area could be declared a disaster zone and the army asked to help out, Naewna newspaper said this evening (Mar. 10).
This fire has now expanded to cover over a hundred rai of forests on Khao Pak Ben hill and as it is burning through 90-degree slopes it is not possible to put it by land only by air.
Krabi Governor Mr. Somchai Hanpakdeepatima had requested help from Mr. Sinchai Phuengtam, director of the Southern Royal Rainmaking Operations Centre in Surat Thani province and the department’s head and they quickly sent a helicopter to battle the blaze.
The helicopter, an AS350 B2 model, got water from Khao Khom reservoir, which is approximately 10 kilometres from the forest fire point, and dropped it on the blaze.
It made eight trips, 500 litres per round, for a total of 4,000 litres, with this reducing the blaze.
This helicopter will start dumping more water again from 9 a.m. tomorrow and if by noon the fire is not brought under control a disaster zone will be declared and 4th Army Region asked to help out.
Sinchai said this fire-fighting mission is high risk because of the hilly terrain and strong winds. As the limestone hill has been exposed to heat for a long time when water hits it could trigger an explosion with debris falling below and possibly endangering the local people living nearby.
The pilot has to carefully consider before releasing water, he said, adding while only eight flights were made today due to limited fuel it is possible to fly all day tomorrow.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Forest fire raging at Krabi’s Khao Pak Ben hill. Photo: Thai Rath
Front Page: The helicopter battling the blaze. Photo: Naewna
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