Southeast Asia Wildfires Map
About wildfires in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia experiences intense annual fire seasons driven by agricultural burning, peatland fires, and deforestation. The transboundary haze crisis, primarily caused by fires in Indonesia, affects air quality across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and beyond.
Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam experience widespread burning during their dry seasons (February-April), with fires used for crop residue removal and land preparation. The region's fire activity has significant implications for public health and climate.
This tracker monitors all fire activity across Southeast Asia in real-time.
Southeast Asia wildfire season
On the Southeast Asian mainland — Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam — the fire and haze season runs from about December through April, peaking in the hot, dry weeks of February to April before the monsoon returns.
Farmers burn crop residue and clear land while forest fires spread through the dry hills, and mountain-ringed valleys like Chiang Mai trap the smoke — regularly giving northern Thailand some of the worst air quality in the world. The maritime south adds peatland fires during its own dry months.
Notable wildfires in history
- 2023 Record Haze Season
Northern Thailand and the Mekong endured one of their worst burning seasons on record — Chiang Mai repeatedly topped global rankings for the world's worst air quality, and hundreds of thousands sought treatment for respiratory illness.
- 2019 Severe Mekong Burning
A punishing dry season blanketed northern Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar in thick smoke, closing schools and disrupting flights as PM2.5 soared to hazardous levels.
- 2016 El Niño Dry Season
A strong El Niño supercharged the dry season across the region, intensifying fires and haze and causing widespread health and economic damage.
Main causes & risk factors
- Widespread agricultural burning to clear crop residue (rice, maize, sugarcane)
- Slash-and-burn land clearing and deforestation
- Peatland and forest fires, especially in the maritime south
- A long dry season (roughly December–April on the mainland) with pre-monsoon heat
- Mountain-ringed valleys like Chiang Mai that trap smoke for weeks
Safety & preparedness
- Check the PM2.5 air quality index daily during the burning season (December–April)
- Wear a proper N95/KN95 mask outdoors and run air purifiers indoors during heavy haze
- Limit outdoor exercise, especially for children and people with respiratory conditions
- Follow local burning bans and open-fire restrictions in the dry season
- Report fires to local forestry or emergency services
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Frequently asked questions
When is the fire and haze season in Southeast Asia?
On the mainland it runs roughly December through April, peaking February to April, when farmers burn fields and forest fires spread in the dry, pre-monsoon heat.
Why does Chiang Mai have such bad air quality?
Each dry season, crop burning and forest fires across northern Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos fill the valleys with smoke, regularly giving Chiang Mai some of the worst air quality in the world.
Is it safe to travel to Southeast Asia during the burning season?
Fires rarely threaten tourist areas, but haze can make air quality hazardous in northern Thailand and the Mekong from February to April. Check the live map and AQI before you go, and consider timing trips outside the peak haze.
Where does this map's fire data come from?
Every hotspot comes from NASA's FIRMS system, using VIIRS satellites that detect active fires across the region several times a day.
Is this Southeast Asia fire map free?
Yes — it's completely free and needs no sign-up. You can track active fires across Southeast Asia and the world in real time.