Children run as forest fires rage in Sainyabuli Province, northern Laos, yesterday (April 8), spewing smoke and fire in the air.

Footage from a village in the region shows the panic-stricken residents trying to get away as flames move closer to their homes.

The bushfires have increased in recent weeks, destroying more than 70 square miles of forest. A Lao government report from Monday also said that more than 25 villagers had been affected by the fires.

They have been caused by farmers using an agricultural technique known as 'slash-and-burn' which involves setting alight waste crops to clear the land so it is ready for more seeds to be planted.

Children run as forest fires rage in Sainyabuli Province, northern Laos, yesterday (April 8) spewing smoke and fire in the air.

Footage from a village in the region shows the panic-stricken residents trying to get away as flames move closer to their homes.

The bushfires have increased in recent weeks, destroying more than 70 square miles of forest. A Lao government report from Monday also said that more than 25 villagers had been affected by the fires.

They have been caused by farmers using an agricultural technique known as 'slash-and-burn' which involves setting alight waste crops to clear the land so it is ready for more seeds to be planted.

Residents in the parts of Laos affected by the fires said they were ''basically living in the pollution'' as harmful PM 2.5 particles filled the air.

''The smoke from the bushfire is blowing in and covering all the houses, so people are basically living in the pollution,'' one resident told local media.

The fire is out of control in both Oudomxay and Luang Namtha provinces, because people do not have fire-extinguishing capabilities out here.''