THE Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported an alarming increase in grass fire incidents in different parts of the city since January.

Fire Senior Inspector Douglas Zabala, ZCFD operations chief, said of the total 216 fire incidents reported during the period, 32 were structural fire while 184 were non-structural fire.

Zabala said grass fires, which fall under non-structural fire, accounted 153 or over 70 percent of the total 184 fire incidents.

Zabala said that frequent cause of the grass fires was either unattended bonfire, ignition of material caused by welding slag or lit cigarettes.

As this developed, Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has appealed to the public to be responsible and extra careful when handling fire such as lit cigarettes or bonfires to prevent fire and the loss of lives and properties.

Salazar also directed the BFP, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) with the assistance of the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) to reiterate precautionary measures to educate the public on fire prevention. (SunStar Philippines)