THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bacolod City has identified a total of 300 "red zones,” or areas prone to fire incidents.
These areas or puroks include some from Barangays 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 14, 27, 39, Banago, and Singcang-Airport.
City Fire Marshal Superintendent Jenny Mae Masip said the grass fires increase significantly during the summer season, linked to dry environmental conditions.
“At this time of the year, vegetation and open lands become extremely dry, making them highly vulnerable to ignition," she said.
She added that many incidents stem from improperly discarded cigarette butts, while others arise from unattended controlled burning activities in subdivisions, some of which spread rapidly due to sudden strong winds.
BFP records revealed that 35 fire incidents were recorded from January to February 2026.
On March 31, 2026, the City Government of Bacolod, in partnership with the BFP and key stakeholders, conducted a Fire Response Summit and Adopt-a-Red Zone Area Program at the Bacolod City Government Center.
The initiative reinforces the city’s commitment to proactive fire prevention and efficient emergency response.
Aligned with Fire Prevention Month’s theme — “Sa Pag-iwas sa Sunog, Hindi Ka Nag-iisa!” (In Preventing Fires, You Are Not Alone!), the event brought together representatives from government agencies, barangays, volunteer fire brigades, private sector partners, and community groups.
The City of Bacolod led by Mayor Greg Gasataya signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the BFP that formalized its partnerships to boost community safety efforts.
The first MOU, under the Adopt-a-Red Zone Program, unites the BFP, barangays, fire-prone communities, and private sector partners to address risks in over 300 designated “red zone areas" in Bacolod.
The second MOU establishes standardized inter-agency coordination and communication protocols for fire emergencies, ensuring a unified and efficient response across all units.
Gasataya also emphasized the critical role of robust emergency systems.
“We have prioritized emergency preparedness through multiple initiatives. Just one week ago, personnel completed training for the 911 hotline system," Gasataya said.
In emergency response, he said that every second counts.
"The faster we act, the greater the impact we can make. We began these preparations last year, making Bacolod among the first cities to do so. We anticipate receiving approval to operationalize the 911 system within this quarter," he added.
As part of strengthened communication protocols, the BFP has established direct coordination with selected barangays that have fire response capabilities, including the Community Fire Auxiliary Groups (CFAGs) of Taculing, Handumanan, and Estefania.
Under this system, CFAGs are empowered to launch immediate responses to fire incidents within their respective areas. For manageable situations such as grass fires and other low-risk cases, these units can conduct initial firefighting operations to enable faster containment.
BFP units will remain on standby to provide support if incidents escalate.
Even barangays without dedicated CFAGs have received training to address small, controllable fires using available equipment like fire extinguishers. (MAP)