BONTOC, Mountain Province – A recent forest fire that ravaged portions of Mount Pokis, Bontoc Ili has been successfully contained.
SFO1 Clifford Chinalpan of the Bontoc Municipal Fire Station (MFS) said the forest fire started on Feb. 3 near critical communication facilities, including the field office of Radyo Pilipinas, the towers of Globe and Smart Communications, and a house situated in Mount Pokis.
Personnel from the Bontoc MFS were deployed to suppress the fire that was contained on Feb. 5 at around 11 p.m.
The fire rekindled and spread further across the mountain on Feb. 6.
Personnel from Sadanga Fire Station, Radyo Pilipinas Bontoc, 3rd Maneuver Platoon of the 2nd Mountain Province-Provincial Mobile Force Company, 1403rd Community Defense Center-Army Reserve Command, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, RP1 Bontoc Engineering team, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office-Sabangan, Mountain Province Electric Cooperative , Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, members of the Bontoc Emergency Response Team, and community volunteers joined forces to augment the fire suppression efforts.
The Bontoc MFS declared the fire was extinguished at 9:22 a.m. on Feb. 7.
Based on the report of the Bontoc Operations Center, approximately 40 hectares of forest and pasture land was burned. No structural damage or loss of livestock was reported.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of fire.
The Bontoc MDRRM Council chaired by Mayor Jerome Tudlong, Jr. appealed to the public to help in the efforts to prevent fire incidents and promote community safety.
The council emphasized the importance of vigilance and responsible behavior to mitigate the occurrence of such disasters. – Christy Mae Che-es-Pangesfan
