Fire rages through a popular national park in northern Thailand this morning (February 17) after a discarded cigarette is believed to have started the inferno.<br /><br />Crews have spent around 24 hours battling the flames at the Phu Kradueng National Park in Loei province. <br /><br />Residents said a blaze began at the Mesa Cliff viewpoint on Sunday (Feb 16). Investigators believe it may have started from a discarded cigarette.<br /><br />Park chief Sombat Pimprasit said the fire was brought under control at around 9am this morning. He said 92 officers and 130 volunteers battled the flames.<br /><br />However, the smoke was still rising from the scorched woodland, where 1,344 acres of land was burned.<br /><br />Sombat said: ''The park was busy at the weekend with many people. The fire could have been caused by human activity but we still do not know.<br /><br />"This was a big fire that has not happened here for some time now, which made me think someone had carelessly left a burning cigarette butt.<br /><br />"I have assigned the officers to be on guard watching the park and preparing the equipment in case the fire breaks out again."<br /><br />Investigators are now probing what caused the fire amid suspicions that a visitor's carelessly discarded cigarette may have ignited dried grassland before the flames quickly spread.<br /><br />The Phu Kradueng National Park is the second oldest national park in Thailand, after Khao Yai. <br /><br />It is known as a place where couples can prove their “true love” by successfully hiking together. Many domestic tourists visited the area at the weekend to mark Valentine’s Day on Friday (Feb 14).
