Mountain Province, Benguet battle forest fires
BAGUIO City — Some forested and grassy areas of Mountain Province and Benguet Province turned black after large fires consumed them in the past days and some are still on fire as firefighters together with villagers struggle to put them out.
In Bokod, Benguet, the Bokod Municipal Police Station reported that a senior citizen farmer died in a forest fire incident that transpired in Sitio Poodan, Barangay Ekip, Bokod, Benguet on the afternoon of March 23, 2023.
Initial investigation disclosed that the victim volunteered to help in suppressing the forest fire, however, he was trapped when the fire quickly spread because of the strong wind and was unable to run fast because of the sloping terrain.
The victim was identified as Johnny Alsem Baniwas, 61 years old, and a resident of Sitio Pootan, Barangay Ekip, Bokod, Benguet. His body was found 9:30 a.m. of Friday.
In the Municipality of Tuba, Benguet, personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection Tuba and employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Cordillera rushed to a forest fire at Sitio Utaan, Poblacion, Tuba.
At the moment, firefighters are battling the forest fires eating the mountains in the municipalities of Bokod, Kabayan and Kapangan, all in Benguet. BFP Benguet reported that hundreds of hectares were already razed.
Investigation on the said fires is ongoing.
In Tadian, Mountain Province, community members of Barangay Poblacion of the municipality took part in the “galatis di depdep” or community response to suppress the forest fire ravaging the mountains where the water source of the barangay is.