DENR ready for fires

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 has employed some strategies to boost its forest fire prevention and fighting capabilities during the dry months.

These strategies include the involvement of community members in trainings with the Bureau of Fire Protection of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, with which the DENR has a standing agreement to conduct joint trainings as well as forest firefighting operations.

Forest fire preventive measures consisted of monitoring for slash and burn activities and unauthorized bush burning in pasturelands, construction of water impounding structures to trap and store rainwater, clearing of new growth in fire lines or “fire buffers” inside tree plantations, and conduct of forest fire drills with forest resource-dependent communities especially in drought-prone areas.

From 2000 to 2010, the DENR recorded a total of 34,921 hectares were affected by forest fires, with 19,607 hectares located inside natural forests, while the other 15,314 hectares inside plantation areas.

DENR-7 continues to strengthen its campaign in preventing a forest or bush fire as a result of the summer or dry season.

It can be recalled that a bush fire occurred last March 3 partially damaging about 23 teak trees with an estimated area of 400 square meters within the 630-hectare Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve in Sitio Badiang, Barangay Toong, Cebu City.

Isabelo Montejo, DENR-7 regional executive director said that it is more practical and sensible to prevent forest fire rather than controlling them through regular monitoring and intensive and aggressive information, education and communication efforts.

Teak, a yellowish brown timber with good grains and texture, is a deciduous type of tree that sheds its leaves during summer or dry season.

Montejo added that the carelessness and irresponsible activities of humans that may cause a fire to break out include thrown lighted cigarette butts, an abandoned campfire with live cinders or charcoal, and burning pasture land to improve livestock grazing.

Montejo further said that grasses and other vegetation dry up and become very flammable during summer or dry months. He suggested that these dried litters should be collected and removed from the site as they are potential source of fire.  — (FREEMAN)