Mt. Pulag closed due to bad weather, forest fire

(Updated) BAGUIO CITY — A forest fire struck the outskirts of the Mt. Pulag National Park on Tuesday and was extinguished only on Wednesday due to rains and efforts by mountain guides and forest rangers to contain it, Emerita Albas, Mt. Pulag Park Management superintendent, said on Thursday.

The fire was detected at night along Corner 21 of the park, near the Manenshen Upper Agno watershed, and had not endangered the Mt. Pulag summit, she said.

But “falling rocks from the mountain slopes as a consequence of the forest fire” forced the park managers to close the Akiki Difficult Trail.

The Benguet police office has dispatched a team to investigate the fire.

The rains also compelled the park managers to close the summit and three park camp sites to campers and trekkers on Thursday (Feb. 25) because of thick fog and strong winds that could rip tents apart, according to an alert broadcast by Albas. SFM/JE