PAF to conduct cloud seeding to stop Benguet forest fires

Some parts of Luzon have experienced rainfall in recent days, partly because of the cloud seeding operations conducted by the Philippine Air Force. (Photo from the Facebook account of the 900th Air Force Weather Group)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday said it may conduct cloud seeding operations this week to suppress the still ongoing forest fires in Benguet province.

“To suppress the forest fire in Benguet, we have plans to conduct cloud seeding operations; it might happen this week,” PAF spokesperson Col. Maria Consuelo Castillo said in a regular press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo.

Forest fires were reported in Mt. Camisong in Itogon town and another in Barangay Adonot in Bokod town.

READ: Baguio City health alert up as forest fires rage

READ: Baguio, Benguet forest fires worsened by strong winds

Castillo said the PAF is still deploying heli buckets to stem the ongoing forest fire.

Each heli bucket only contains 800 liters of water, which is not enough to suppress the blaze in the woods.

To date, more than 50 hectares of forest lands in Benguet were affected by forest fires, according to the official.

At least 200 hectares of forested areas in the Cordillera region have been ravaged by fires since Jan. 2024, according to authorities.

In Feb. 2019, five men were killed while helping put out a fire that razed a 60-hectare forest area in Benguet.