The governor of Nakhon Ratchasima province confirmed the wildfire at the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station is now under control. A helicopter from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment made 16 water drops to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire remains unclear, with no definitive determination whether it was caused by human activity or other factors.
At 11:30 a.m. on 14 February 2026, Anupong Suksamanit, governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, visited the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station in Udomsap Subdistrict, Wang Nam Khiao District, Nakhon Ratchasima. The wildfire began around 8:00 p.m. on 12 February 2026 and continued until now. He received reports summarizing the operations of various agencies that had jointly deployed more than 200 personnel to suppress the fire.
This morning, there were still five active fire spots. Officials on foot entered the area with equipment to extinguish the fires, supported by a helicopter from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment that made 16 water drops. The situation was brought under control by around 1:00 p.m. on 14 February 2026.
Governor Anupong Suksamanit, after inspecting the wildfire site, said the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station is under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation. The firefighting efforts involved cooperation from many sectors, including the station itself, agencies under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, provincial and district authorities, local administrative organizations, volunteers, and others who mobilized to successfully extinguish the fire. Currently, the fire is controlled, with only a small area remaining where officials are working to fully extinguish the flames.
Surachit Waengsothorn, director of the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, said the wildfire burned dry dipterocarp forest, which naturally sheds leaves and accumulates fuel annually during the dry season. The station has about 6,400 rai of this forest. Initial assessments show most of the dry dipterocarp forest area was affected. However, from a scientific perspective, long-term ecological damage is minimal because this forest ecosystem naturally regenerates each year. The clear impact was on air quality during the fire; air quality measurements this morning showed particulate matter exceeded standards at the fire sites, though at the station itself, surrounded by forest, air quality remained within standard limits.
Regarding the cause of the fire, it remains unknown whether it was due to human actions or other factors. The fire reportedly started from smoke about 2 to 3 kilometers north of the station before spreading into the area. The station plans to hire local laborers to help extinguish remaining fires in wood debris and stumps to reduce smoke and hasten air quality recovery to normal levels. It is expected that by this evening, air quality will return to standard conditions.