Forest fires break out anew in Albay

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Forest fires broke out anew in other parts of Albay barely 24 hours after local authorities doused the fire that raged for four days on the hillsides of the town of Rapu-Rapu.

Residents of the villages of Manaet and Tanagan of the town of Bacacay on Cararay Island discovered the forest fire past 7 p.m. on Wednesday, said Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO).

About 20 families or 72 persons were evacuated from Sitio Malobago, Tanagan where fire has been active in the past hours, he said.

Separate fires were also recorded in Sitio (sub-village) Quimahat, Barangay (village) Banban in the municipality of Manito and in Barangay Putsan in the town of Tiwi on Wednesday night. The fire in these areas have been controlled as of early Thursday.

Lieutenant Colonel Luisito Angeles, commander of Philippine Air Force’s Tactical Operations Group 5 (TOG5) based in this city, said two heli-buckets of the TOG5  Search and Rescue Group conducted an aerial firefighting at Cagraray Island.

Juan Belardo, forester of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Bicol, said by phone Thursday that all of the affected areas were timberland susceptible to fire after Typhoon “Glenda” (Rammasun).

“After Typhoon Glenda, debris dried up. That’s why it is susceptible to fire,” he said.

Belardo said a joint team from the DENR, Bureau of Fire Protection and Philippine National Police was still investigating if the fires were man-made, said Belardo.