Forest fire hits Tuba in Benguet
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Baguio City is trying to make sure that the weekend’s colorful attraction will be the parades of the Panagbenga Flower Festival and not the forest fires in the mountains surrounding the city.
The Philippine Air Force, upon the request of Baguio City and Tuba municipality, has since dispatched a Huey helicopter to help suppress the forest fire at the foot of Mount Sto. Tomas in Tabaan Sur, Tuba.
The helicopter has been drawing water from the Sto. Tomas reservoir, which the Baguio Water District had been reserving for its consumers for the dry months ahead.
Because of strong winds, the forest fire spread from the Baguio side to its current location in only three days.
Another major forest fire in the city was the one that hit Camp 6 and spread to the Philippine Military Academy forest reservation. The fire started last Tuesday and has razed about 25 hectares of pine forests.
The strong winds have caused ash to cover the city, even the central business district.
It also gave the city an intense orange sunset for the past few days.
The city has not had significant rain for over a month.
It is the second time that the Mt. Sto. Tomas area was hit by a forest fire this month. The first time was on February 8 on the side of Mt. Amuyao, where the two Doppler radars are located.
The Bureau of Fire Protection reported 13 major fire incidents in the Cordillera this year, affecting more than 200 hectares of mostly pine forests. – Rappler,com