Burning

It's that time of year again... the air is filled with smoke all across northern Thailand. I go jogging along the river or through the rice fields, and random piles of burning material will send off plumes of smoke that fill my lungs and cause major coughing.

At night, we can look around at the mountains surrounding our town and see orange flames along the hillsides. During the day, if we're riding in a car or bus along the highway, occasional fires will be so close to the road that we'll feel their heat as we pass by.

Much of what is being burned is the leftovers of the rice harvest. Also, some set fire to underbrush in the woods. Sometimes people are making charcoal.

The mountains that are so green and sharp all through the rainy season and November and December are now barely visible, due to the combination of smoke and dust from lack of rain. It's a completely different environment!