Probe continues for Mt. Pulag fire
THE PROVINCIAL and Environment and Natural Resources Office – Benguet (PENRO – Benguet) will pursue further investigation following the fire at Mt. Pulag.
Carlos Arida said the investigation will focus on who the culprits are and the cause of fire damaging four hectares in the area.
“Initial report is the fire was intentional,” he said. “We are still on the mopping to determine the extent. Sad to know that based on the report from the field, iyong nasunog ay forest, mossy forest. We are now on the process of how we are going to identify the culprits,” said Arida.
With the successive fire incidents in Benguet, the Penro official cited one challenge in Mt. Pulag is regulating conversion of forest land to farming.
Personnel from the park together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) Bureau of Fire Department (BFD), local government unit and residents suppressed the fire, however, winds ignited some embers and fallen debris that triggered more fire in some areas.
Following the recent fire, Akiki Trail was
closed for rehabilitation for the safety of trekkers.
Aside from Mt. Pulag, a tourism site in the Benguet capital town was recently razed due to negligence.
On February 2, fire damaged a two-hectare land in Mount Yangbew in La Trinidad.
Senior Fire Inspector Francisco Copes said the bush fire originated at the lower portion of the mountain inside a private farm and further spread upwards.
Firemen created fire breaks in strategic areas of the mountain to stop the spread of fire.
No reported casualty during the fire.
In Barangay Ampusongan in Bakun town, an estimated four-hectare fire was also reported at 8:30 in the evening of February 5.
Ampusongan barangay captain Florencio Balinggan Vicente said the fire at the mountain viewpoint area was immediately suppressed, however, they have yet to determine the cause of the fire.