Fire cases in Cordillera up by 23.8% from January; public reminded to observe safety measures

La Trinidad, Benguet –Fire incidents, mostly in forests, are on the rise in the Cordillera region.

The Bureau of Fire Protection - Cordillera reported recently that there are already 113 forest fires in the region as of March 18, 2024. The incidents rapidly increased from January when there were only 86 cases listed.

Of the 113 cases, Benguet had the highest with 58 incidents, followed by Mountain Province with 40, Baguio City with 8, and Abra with 7.

The affected areas reach 3,353.5 hectares, as relayed by BFP - CAR Intelligence and Investigation Branch Regional Chief Bernardo Bravo in his interview with the Philippine Information Agency - Cordillera.

Bravo said that most of the causes of forest fires are 'slash-and-burn', vegetation clearing through burning, rubbish fire, and irresponsible disposal of cigarette butts.

Aside from forest fires, the agency also logged 49 grass fires, two vehicular and agricultural fires, four rubbish fires, and 33 structural fires.

These incidents occurred in different provinces in Cordillera except Apayao which logged no single fire incident yet.

To address the problem, the authorities remind the public once again to observe fire safety, advising them to ensure that any open flames they ignite are extinguished before leaving the area to prevent fire escalation.