LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - At least 2,310 hectares of forests in different parts of this vegetable-producing province turned to black and gold due to numerous forest fires caused by the prolonged drought in the first half of the year.
Based on the report released this week by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, forest fires dealt a major blow to efforts of the Regional development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera to rehabilitate and manage the region's remaining forest cover.
The report showed that in January forest fires occurred in Nawal, Bokod town, affecting an area of 31.4 hectares; lower Saclalan in Buguias and Km. 44 Bocao, Atok, affecting 6.7 hectares; and Tuba with 14.56 hectares.
In February, fire incidents were recorded in Kabayan town, affecting 539.97 hectares; Buguias, Mankayan, and Bakun, affecting 50.38 hectares; and Tuba, accounting for 10.19 hectares. In March this year, the fires were again recorded in Kabayan - 1,352.29 hectares; Tuba and Tublay - 79.2 hectares and Buguias - 132.7 hectares.
In April, it was in Tuba and Kapangan, covering an area of 67 hectares while in May, fires raged in Nawal, Bokod affecting 26.38 hectares.
Local officials claimed that what makes the fire incidents painful to them, especially those advocating for environmental preservation and protection, is that no effort was done by concerned sectors to put out the fire the soonest to prevent it from ravaging the fully grown and young trees planted for the purpose of reforestation.
Earlier, Gov. Nestor B. Fongwan encouraged all provincial, municipal and barangay officials to include climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures in their respective disaster management programs so that people will be empowered to help the protection of the trees for the benefit of the future generation of Filipinos.
