DENR: Concerted efforts can prevent bush fires

CEBU, Philippines - With the dry months just around the corner, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 is urging barangays to organize their own fire brigades to prevent incidents of forest or bush fire.

DENR-7 Executive Director Isabelo Montejo explained that because grasses and other vegetation dry up during summer, they become very flammable and when they catch flame, the fire spreads easily.

Critical or hotspots identified in the region or those areas with large NGP and ‘old’ growth plantations, include Argao and Oslob in Cebu; Ubay, Buenavista, Getafe, Pilar, and Talibon, all in Bohol; and Ayungon and Bindoy in Negros Oriental.

Montejo said DENR has constituted fire brigades in these National Greening Program plantations.

“We poured in a lot of funds to maintain and grow these plantations and it would be a sad situation when our reforestation initiatives will turn to ashes,” said Montejo in a statement.

He said that carelessness and irresponsible activities of humans are usually what trigger a fire like a thrown cigarette butt, a campfire with still live cinder or charcoal left by hunters or campers, and a pasture land burned to improve live-stock grazing.

Montejo said it would be best if barangays can organize or mobilize residents to serve as volunteers. Active participation among those in the grassroots level can help prevent potential incidents. This move, he said, is more sensible and even more practical than regular monitoring and information, education and communication efforts conducted only by a handful.

He also suggested that fire lines, 10-meter wide vegetation-free strips, are established at borders of plantations at given intervals to contain a fire that may break out.

He suggested further that dried litters should be collected and removed as they are potential source of fire. (FREEMAN)