Summer storms with heavy rain could extinguish wildfires that have been spreading across parts of northern for more than two weeks.

The infernos have destroyed woodland in Chiang Mai province and neighbouring regions. More than 400 ‘hotspots’ have been identified and the haze from the smoke has caused soaring levels of air pollution.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment deployed helicopters carrying water to extinguish the flames while firefighters have battle the flames on the ground.

However, the critical situation has not improved and officials are now hoping that summer storms arriving from China could douse the wildfires.

The Thai Meteorological Department said that isolated thunderstorms were likely to occur across the north along with higher levels of humidity between March 25 and 28.