Benguet most at risk of forest fires this summer

By Mariza Ay-ayac

BAGUIO CITY – Environment officials urged the public to be vigilant in preventing forest fires considering April and May are the months when most forest fires occur. 

According to forester Manuel Magkachi, Benguet province has the highest risk to forest fires followed by Mt. Province, Kalinga, Ifugao, Abra and Apayao. This is based on forest fire records from 2006 to 2015.

Benguet, along with Mt. Province also had the most area of forestlands burned.

Cawilan urged residents in forest fire-prone areas in the Cordillera to be vigilant since it is the dry months and fires usually occur.

With this, a three-day training on forest fire control and management was conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera Administrative Region recently.

It was participated by newly appointed employees and extension officers working under the National Greening Program.

Conservation and Development Division chief Julius Cawilan said objective of the program was to train DENR-CAR personnel on forest fire control and management for the protection of natural and tree plantations in the different provinces.

Cawilan added that yearly, forest fires are big problem in the region particularly during dry season in natural forest and forest plantations. Forest development and investments in the region which include National Greening Program plantations are at risk. With this, it was deemed necessary to equip the NGP personnel and members of organizations with basic skills, technical knowledge, and awareness of their duties, roles and functions.