Forest fires raze more than 165,000 trees in Benguet
25 February 2020
Published by https://news.mb.com.ph
PHILLIPINES – BAGUIO CITY – A total of 165,620 trees and seedlings, with a total value of P1.6 million, was damaged from the forest fires that lasted for eight days in the more than 600-hectare natural pine forest in Kabayan, Benguet, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Cordillera reported to Office of the Civil Defense-Cordillera.
The assessed damage by the DENR included the established forest plantations under the Expanded National Greening Program (ENGP) and natural pine forest.
Affected ENGP plantations totaled 191.54 hectares with damaged/burned saplings estimated at 160,547 trees with a total value of P1,564,230.
The burned natural forest covered 452.15 hectares with estimated 4,973 seedlings/saplings burned/damaged with a value of P106,225.
The total value of damage on ENGP plantations and natural forest amounted to P1,670,455 from the total area burned of 643.69 hectares. No damage to personal property was reported.
The DENR said, this forest fire was aggravated by the biophysical conditions of the area (terrains, heat exposure, wind, etc), forest fire management of concerned agencies, and the apparent indifference of the community people towards the prevention of forest fires.
A forest fire incident happened at Barangay Adaoay & Barangay Anchokey, Kabayan, Benguet on February 11.This forest fire lasted for 8 days until it was declared fire out on February 18 by the Bureau of Fire Protection – Kabayan Fire Station.
Initially, the fire started at Sitio Bulok in Barangay Adaoay, Kabayan and it spread through the areas of Barangay Anchokey Kabayan until February 17.
From the assessment of DENR, the vegetative cover of these areas are mostly grassland and pine forest located on mountainous terrain, mostly steep to very steep slopes coupled with high exposure, making it extremely fire hazard.
BFP personnel and DENR forest protectors with the support of the community people and volunteers responded continuously to suppress the fire.
At around 6 a.m February 18, BFP Kabayan Fire Station declared a fire out, but only after a few hours, or at around 10:04 a.m., the fire rekindled. Fire personnel immediately suppressed the fire and re-declared a fire out at 12:27 p.m.
Investigation was conducted among the community people, and it was revealed that the fire started between Sitios Sacob and Sitio Abat of Barangay Adaoay where there are grazing cows and gardens. These community livelihood activities were among the suspected causes of forest fires in the province of Benguet.
Punong Barangay Roy Tomilas, of Brangay Adaoay concluded that there was no definite perpetrator for the fire. Investigations like these unfortunately go to no avail due to lack of willing witnesses.
As a preventive measure, the Mount Pulag Park Management issued a public advisory closing the southern ingress or Akiki Trail for safety. The said trail was closed for public safety and healing.
OCD Regional Director Albert Mogol and chairperson of the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (Cordillera RDRRMC), said as early of January they re-activated its Inter-Agency Task Group for the Reduction of Fire Incidents and Effects of El Niño Phenomenon chaired and co-chaired by the DENR-CAR and BFP-CAR respectively to lead in the mitigation and prevention of and response to forest fire incidents.
Mogol reiterated the importance of partnership especially the people’s participation in the reduction of forest fires and the need to protect forests and natural resources as these resources can also protect communities against possible landslides during rainy season.
