OCD pushes for enhanced fire response, strict preventive measures
IN time for Fire Prevention Month this March and amid the forest fires in Benguet, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said it would continue to implement and support interventions for the strengthening of the country’s capabilities in responding to different fire incidents.
On February 26, OCD officials, the Bureau of Fire Protection and Armed Forces of the Philippines officers met with the United States Agency for International Development (USAid) to tackle the support of the US government for firefighting operations.
A team of experts from USAid went to Baguio City to provide technical support to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Cordillera Administrative Region on combating forest fires.
Among major challenges in response operations were the locations of forest fires that the fire trucks could not access and the lack of equipment for responders.
As of yesterday, out of 13 areas affected by forest fires in Benguet, five were now declared fire out, five were under control status and three areas were still under firefighting operations.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Air Force was still conducting heli bucket operations in Benguet to suppress the wildfires.
Forest fires were also reported in Mountain Province, Baguio and Iloilo this February 2024. All these were already declared “fireouts.”
As of writing, the cost of damages due to forest fires was still for validation by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Local Government Units. No casualties were reported.