Public urged to be vigilant vs forest fires

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office in Western Visayas has called on the community to be vigilant against forest fires.

The provincial environment offices (Penros) are also calling on the public to activate forest fire brigades composed of people’s organizations.

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Julian A. Amador, DENR regional executive director, has alerted all Penros following reports that a total of 54 hectares of forest lands in Iloilo were razed by fire since January 25 to March 1, 2010.

The area damaged covers the four-hectare area of Igpaho Agroforestry in Tubungan town, the 30-hectare forest area of Barangay Igpigus in Igbaras, the 45-hectare timberland area in Barangay Bobon in Leon town and Barangay Manasa of Alimodian, all in the province of Iloilo.

Amador instructed his staff to intensify public information dissemination among the communities adjacent to the forest and protected areas.

Other measures include preparation of fire control maps and activation of fire protection communication systems, inventory of stocked emergency supplies needed for fire control operations like first-aid kits and non-perishable food supplies, and installation of signboards in fire-prone forested areas warning people about forest fires.

In Western Visayas, forest fires usually happen during summer in places where water is scarce, especially that there is an El Niño phenomenon.

Data from DENR's Forest Management Bureau (FMB) shows that each forest ranger is assigned to patrol around 2,133 hectares.  

FMB said forest fires have been largely blamed on “kaingin” and other human activities inside forest lands, such as soil burning by cattle raisers to induce good grass growth for their herds, charcoal making, camp fires, discarded lit cigarette butts, and gathering of ant eggs and honey that uses fire torch. (LCP)