Wildfire in Khon Buri forest

Firefighters face an advancing wall of flame in Khon Buri national forest reserve in Nakhon Ratchasima overnight. The fire defied their efforts and continued to burn on Tuesday morning. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)

NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A wildfire that started late on Monday burned out more than 100 rai of the Khon Buri national forest reserve overnight and continued to defy efforts to extinguish it on Tuesday.

The fire was centred on Ban Nong Bot mountain in tambon Khok Krachai of Khon Buri district. It was burning on a long front with white smoke and flames visible from afar overnight.

It was being fanned by strong winds, raising concerns for the safety of firefighters deployed to deal with the blaze.

Kanok Kaewthes, deputy chief of Khon Buri district office, said firefighters and volunteers had tried their best throughout the night; but were eventually told to pull back for their own safety.

They were directed instead to concentrate on preventing the fire spreading into a nearby healthcare facility, a Buddhist temple and Sangha monastery, Mr Kanok said.

More than a hundred rai of the Khon Buri national forest reserve had been burned as of Tuesday morning, he said. The cause of the fire was being investigated.

Aram Manchaona, head of a Khon Buri forest protection unit, said on Tuesday afternoon the fire had been controlled and was being kept within firebreaks made earlier.