CHIANG MAI — A volunteer firefighter battling wildfires in this northern province was found dead on a mountain in Mae Rim district on Wednesday after going missing from his group the night before, as the region continues to grapple with some of the world’s worst air pollution.

Chiang Mai Ranks as World’s Most Polluted City as Wildfires Blanket Northern Thailand

The volunteer, later identified as Boonma Phadaeng, aged 56, is believed to have died from exhaustion aggravated by extreme heat and an underlying condition of high blood pressure, according to the Chiang Mai Public Relations Office.

Search and Discovery

At approximately 8pm on Tuesday, Mr Boonma was reported missing from a group of rangers who had been battling flames and building firebreaks on the mountain in tambon Saluang. Other rangers and local residents helped search for him throughout the night, with his relatives confirming he had not returned home.

On Wednesday morning, more than 200 people conducted a search before his body was found approximately 300 metres from the firebreak at 10am. Officials reported no signs of physical assault, suggesting the death was related to the physical toll of firefighting efforts.

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Air Quality Crisis

Widespread wildfires in the province have been singled out as the main contributor to air pollution, placing Chiang Mai among the world’s most polluted cities for several consecutive days, according to IQAir. A real-time reading as of 3pm on Wednesday showed the city’s air quality measured an unhealthy 191, with PM2.5 pollutants at 113 micrograms per cubic metre — far beyond the safe threshold of 37.5 micrograms. The figures had dropped from earlier in the day.

Some of the most affected areas across six districts — Hot, Samoeng, Chiang Dao, Doi Saket, Mae Taeng and Mae Wang — have been declared disaster zones as authorities struggle to contain hundreds of wildfires burning across the northern region.

Human Toll

Mr Boonma’s death highlights the human cost of the annual burning season, which sees volunteers, park rangers and firefighters working in extreme conditions to protect forests and communities from spreading fires. The combination of high temperatures, thick smoke and strenuous physical exertion creates dangerous conditions for those on the front lines of firefighting efforts.

His death adds to mounting concerns over the escalating impact of seasonal wildfires, which have become increasingly severe in recent years. Local officials have reiterated calls for residents to refrain from agricultural burning, while authorities continue to deploy helicopters and ground teams in an effort to control the blazes.

Forest Fires Blanket Chiang Mai with Air Pollution

For the community of Saluang and the volunteers who worked alongside him, Mr Boonma’s death serves as a somber reminder of the risks taken by those who step forward to protect their land — and the urgent need for lasting solutions to a crisis that returns with each passing dry season.

-Thailand News (TN)