ANTIQUE – In the first two months of 2024, a total of 88 fire incidents transpired in Antique, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) records show.
These left damages totaling P46.78 million, according to Senior Fire Officer 1 Jefferson Cordero, officer-in-charge of the BFP-Antique Provincial Fire Safety Enforcement Section.
Of the 88 fire incidents, 17 are grass or forest fires, and the remaining are composed of industrial, residential, structural, post, and others.
The number of fire incidents is significantly higher compared to the same period last year when the province only recorded 25 fire incidents.
Cordero explained that numbers are higher this year because of the dry, hot weather as a result of the El Niño phenomenon.
With this, Community Fire Auxiliary Groups were established by BFP-Antique to be the first line of defense, especially in fire-prone barangays.
Just recently, two forest fires erupted in Anini-y town, particularly in barangays Salvacion and Lisub-B.
Eula May Raymaro, BFP-Antique Information Officer, urged the public to be vigilant and religiously observe fire safety.
Raymaro reminded Antiqueños to avoid the following: leaving the fire in the cooking unattended; leaving the LPG regulator switched on; leaving electrical appliances and the main electrical switch on; burning waste, be it biodegradable or non-biodegradable; carelessly discarding unextinguished cigarette butts; and burning wood to make charcoal. (With a report from 104.5 Brigada San Jose–Antique)/PN
