Andre Malerba

Photographer

www.andremalerba.com

Thailand Wildfires

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Clients: US Holocaust Memorial Museum, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Rest of World, The Washington Post

School: The International Center of Photography The University of Vermont

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Sal...ht to keep the blazes in check.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong fire station works to put out a forest fire near Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019. The part-time hires worked day and night to keep the blazes in check.

Smoke from multiple forest fire...hai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Smoke from multiple forest fires fills the air over a mountain range at sunset near the Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salo... much bigger blaze, April 2019.

Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salong fire station make there way through a small fire, high up in the mountains, on their way to a much bigger blaze, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Sal...hai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong fire station treks through the forest on his way to a forest fire near the Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong fire station prepares a water tank to supply hoses, that his team will carry down a mountain side in order to battle a remote blaze near Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Sal...urn into the night, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong gets ready to put out a blaze near Thai-Myanmar border. In the distance, more fires burn into the night, April 2019.

The embers of a waning forest f...hai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

The embers of a waning forest fire are seen on the ground near the Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Sal...through the forest, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong fire station works to put out a forest fire near Thai-Myanmar border. He uses a thin hose that has been dragged hundreds of meters through the forest, April 2019.

Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salo...hai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salong fire station rest near a burnt area on their way to a forest fire near the Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

A forest fire burns near the Th...a relatively thin line of fire.

A forest fire burns near the Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019. Masses of dry leaves on the forest floor and dry bamboo groves spread fire very quickly and make it very difficult to contain the blazes. It can take hours to battle even a relatively thin line of fire.

The smoking remnants of a fores...hai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

The smoking remnants of a forest fire near the Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Sal...ir basic equipment and budgets.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong fire station uses a leaf blower to create a firebreak at a forest fire near the Thai-Myanmar boarder, April 2019. A firebreak is a gap in the underbrush created by the fire fighters, down to the bare earth so that the fire won't spread while it burns out. Getting enough water in to entirely extinguish the fire is not feasible with their basic equipment and budgets.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Sal...n areas without roads or paths.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong fire station treks through a ravine on the way to a forest fire near the Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019. Many blazes are deep in the forest in areas without roads or paths.

Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salo...and fighting fires, April 2019.

Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salong fire station take a break from hiking and fighting fires, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Sal...om a nearby stream, April 2019.

A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salong fire station puts a hose back in the truck, after stopping to fill the water tank from a nearby stream, April 2019.

A fire fighters from Doi Mae Sa...his way to a blaze, April 2019.

A fire fighters from Doi Mae Salong fire station looks out over the mountains of northern Thailand on his way to a blaze, April 2019.

Smog hangs thick over Bangkok o... between 170-200, January 2019.

Smog hangs thick over Bangkok on a day when the AQI hovered between 170-200, January 2019.

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Thumbnail of A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salo_ght to keep the blazes in check.

Thumbnail of Smoke from multiple forest fires_Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Thumbnail of Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salon_a much bigger blaze, April 2019.

Thumbnail of A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salo_Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Thumbnail of A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salo_burn into the night, April 2019.

Thumbnail of The embers of a waning forest fi_Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Thumbnail of A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salo_ through the forest, April 2019.

Thumbnail of Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salon_Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Thumbnail of A forest fire burns near the Tha_ a relatively thin line of fire.

Thumbnail of The smoking remnants of a forest_Thai-Myanmar border, April 2019.

Thumbnail of A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salo_eir basic equipment and budgets.

Thumbnail of A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salo_in areas without roads or paths.

Thumbnail of Fire fighters from Doi Mae Salon_ and fighting fires, April 2019.

Thumbnail of A fire fighter from Doi Mae Salo_rom a nearby stream, April 2019.

Thumbnail of A fire fighters from Doi Mae Sal_ his way to a blaze, April 2019.

Thumbnail of Smog hangs thick over Bangkok on_d between 170-200, January 2019.

Private Project

Thailand Wildfires

Copyright Andre Malerba 2024

Updated Aug 2020

Topics Climate Change, Conservation, Documentary, Editorial, Photography, Photojournalism

In 2019, Thailand experienced some of the worst air pollution levels on record. AQI (air quality index) ratings often exceeded 200 - anything over 100 is considered unhealthy - and isolated recordings in the north ventured close to 500. Part of the reason for this were numerous forest fires ablaze throughout the northern mountains near the Thai-Myanmar border. Drought and changing weather patterns caused a perfect storm of easily burnable forest and thick clouds of smoke that became trapped in the valleys. Teams of fire-fighters worked round the clock, day after day, with very basic equipment to try and keep the fires in check.

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