Rain helps quell Benguet forest fires

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BENGUET  — The heavy downpour in Benguet helped in putting out forest fires in the province over the weekend.

More than 1,800 hectares of forest land was gutted by fire in eight barangays of Bokod, Benguet.

Bokod Mayor Mauricio Makay, in an interview on Tuesday, said the fire started Wednesday last week in Barangays Pitu, Bobok and Bangao.

The Bokod fire department declared ‘fire out’ only on Sunday, March 22, with the help of the downpour, Makay said.

Affected barangays include Ekip, Bobok, Bila, Daclan, Ambuklao and Poblacion.

Makay said firefighters received a late bush fire report on Thursday from Barangay Pitu, which may have been started by a deranged man lighting a cigarette.

The firefighters suspect that the fire in Bobok may have been caused by farmers who forgot to extinguish their camp fire after cooking.

Both fires spread rapidly because of the wind and dried pine needles.

Based on the report of the fire department, there were no injuries nor damage to properties incurred during the fire incident, Makay added.