Green forest fire notification in Laos

Supply-chain Risk Briefing

1. Summary

Wildfires occurred in Laos from April 6-13, lasting approximately one week. Classified as moderate-level fires, they appear to have been extinguished. This is assessed as a typical Southeast Asian regional wildfire occurring during the dry season.

2. Supply-chain impact

• Agricultural commodities: Major Laotian agricultural products including rice, corn, and coffee growing regions may be affected, with fires during the dry season potentially having negative impacts on future crop yields
• Timber supply: Potential disruptions to Laotian timber supply within the Southeast Asian timber supply chain, with temporary impacts expected on timber exports to neighboring Vietnam and Thailand
• Power supply: Potential indirect impacts on electricity production and power exports to Mekong River basin countries in case of forest fires near Laotian hydroelectric facilities
• Logistics infrastructure: Limited accessibility to roads and transportation infrastructure near fire-affected areas may cause minor delays in regional logistics movements

3. Watch points

• Follow-up fire incidents: Need to monitor potential for additional wildfire outbreaks due to continued dry season through April-May and potential spread to neighboring Vietnam and Cambodia
• Agricultural production impact: Track recovery of agricultural productivity in fire-damaged areas and changes in crop yields during harvest season until the start of rainy season in May-June