Mt. Apo fire spreads to 300 hectares of forest, grassland

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur — The fire at Mt. Apo has already eaten an estimated 300 hectares of grassland and forested areas, an official said.

Eduardo Ragaza, national park supervisor, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone that the fire has been continuously moving towards the Davao portion of the country’s highest peak.

“It is possible that more areas will be affected as it spreads,” he said.

But Ragaza said the fire’s spread has been somewhat slowed by “moisture at the mountain.”

He said authorities has started putting up barriers after an aerial survey conducted on Monday determined where these would be more effective in preventing the spread of the fire.  SFM