Gov’t authorities working to put out fire near Mt. Kanlaon

Bago City health workers distribute masks to protect residents against ash spewed by Mt. Kanlaon. JEN ORTIZO

BACOLOD CITY—Government authorities on Wednesday were working against time to put out a fire near the crater of Mt. Kanlaon believed to have been triggered by the fiery rocks and other incandescent materials it emitted on Tuesday night.

Provincial environment and natural resources officer Andres Untal said a long column of grass fire raged at the upper Mansalanao, Cabagnaan and Biak na Bato portion of the volcano in La Castellana town in Negros Occidental.

“The fire was suspected to have been caused by materials spewed during the eruption and there was a possibility that it could reach the forested area about four kilometers away,” he added.

Untal said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Bureau of Fire Protection, the office of the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park Protected Area Superintendent and the Negros Occidental Provincial Risk Reduction Management Division were organizing a group of firefighters to put out the fire.

Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Management Program Division chief, said they were putting together a team that would create a line to prevent the fire from crossing to the forest.

Mount Kanlaon, an active volcano located on Negros Island, remained restive on Wednesday although it was calmer compared to Tuesday’s night phreatic eruption.

The volcano was seen emitting moderate white smoke that had a height of 500 meters above the crater.

From the southwest side of the volcano, the eruption plume was observed to have reached 1,500 meters above the active crater.

Traces of ashfall were reported in La Carlota City and Pontevedra town in Negros Occidental, said Isagani Republica of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Management Program Division.

Mount Kanlaon, which straddles the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, is an active volcano but remains a favorite spot for climbers.

With its twin-peaked massif rising 2,465 meters above sea level, the volcano is the centerpiece of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park, located at least 30 km from Bacolod City.

On Nov. 24 last year, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) hoisted Alert Level 1 following a phreatic explosion.

The alert level indicated that the volcano remained in an “abnormal condition” and was in a “period of current unrest.”

Trekking was strictly prohibited especially in the 4-km permanent danger zone due to the possibility of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.

Ben Tananan, Phivolcs science research analyst, said Mt. Kanlaon was known for minor phreatic explosions with periods of calm in between.

“This is caused by surface water coming in contact with hot rocks that trigger the explosion,” he said.

The Phivolcs reiterated its November advisory following Tuesday’s eruption and reminded civil aviation authorities to also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as airborne ash from a sudden eruption could be hazardous to an aircraft. RC