FIRE incidents in Davao City jumped 47.8 percent in the first eight months of 2026, driven mainly by electrical failures and grassfires amid hot, dry conditions.
The Davao City Fire District (DCFD) recorded 683 fire incidents from January to August, up from 462 during the same period in 2025, DCFD spokesperson Fire Senior Insp. Frances Marie Sendrijas said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing on Wednesday.
The incidents resulted in 41 casualties — 37 injuries and four deaths.
The fatalities include a 21-year-old person with disability who died after becoming trapped in a residential fire along Del Pilar Street in Barrio Obrero on Sept. 14.
Electrical problems remained the leading cause of structural fires, accounting for 159 incidents, up from 119 during the same period last year — a 33.6 percent increase.
Grassfires posted the sharpest increase among nonstructural fires, rising to 120 cases from just 12 in 2025. Sendrijas identified Bunawan in the north and Toril in the south as areas where firefighters frequently respond to grassfires.
Rubbish and garbage fires also more than doubled, rising from 44 to 108 cases.
Sendrijas said hot and dry weather contributed to the increase in grass and other nonstructural fires. She also cited road access as a continuing challenge for firefighters, particularly in densely populated areas such as Dumalag and Boulevard.
Narrow roads and illegally parked vehicles can prevent large fire trucks from reaching fire scenes quickly, she said.
“Pagdating sa sunog, every second counts (When it comes to fires, every second counts),” Sendrijas said. “Kami rin, as much as we want to, of course, lessen the damage, naka-delay talaga siya ng response, na sana napuksa namin agad 'yung apoy, but dahil nahirapan mag-penetrate 'yung ating mga fire trucks sa mga ganung area, lalong lumalaki 'yung sunog (We also want to lessen the damage, but the delay in response can make the fire worse. We could have put out the fire immediately, but because our fire trucks have difficulty getting through those areas, the fire grows larger).”
The fire district coordinates with law enforcement and traffic agencies, including the City Transport and Traffic Management Office and the Land Transportation Office, to address road obstructions and improve access during emergencies.
Sendrijas said the DCFD is also strengthening fire prevention through its Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan program, which includes house-to-house inspections and fire safety lectures in communities across the city. GRS
