ANTIQUE – A forest fire has scorched a mountainous area in Barangay Lisub B, Anini-y town.
Community firefighters, along with responders from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Anini-y, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Anini-y Municipal Police Station, battled the blaze for nearly an entire day to bring it under control.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Ramil B. Escander, the acting municipal fire marshal, reported that the fire broke out on Monday morning, February 12, and was extinguished around 5 a.m. on Tuesday, February 13.
In response, Mayor Maxfil B. Pollicar issued an alert for residents in the affected area on Monday night.
“The initial investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing. The challenge was the strong wind and the fire trucks’ inability to reach the affected area. We advise everyone, especially those near the fire site, to stay safe, secure their belongings, and safeguard any other items,” according to Pollicar.
The extent of the area affected by the blaze has yet to be determined.
As the investigation continues, the BFP reminds the public not to discard un-extinguished cigarette butts carelessly. Given the hot and dry conditions, such actions can easily lead to large-scale fires./PN
