No estimate yet on Benguet forest fire damage -OCD

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) had yet to determine the extent of damage of the forest fires in Benguet as operations were focused on containing and putting out the blazes.

“We don’t have data as of yet, but hopefully in the coming days we will release… because we concentrate on responding and putting out the fires,” OCD Spokesperson Edgar Posadas said.

Smoke and haze engulfed parts of Benguet and Baguio City as eight forest fires broke out across the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) recently.

In the town of Tuba, a forest fire razed a portion of Mount Santo Tomas, with the blaze almost reaching vital installations with communications, TV and radio equipment.

The fire reached the neighboring municipality of Bokod, with authorities responding to the fire.

Over a week after the breakout of the forest fires, Posadas said 14 areas were declared “fire out” while four were under control.

“There are still two areas that we are monitoring so it will not spread further,” he said.

The Philippine Air Force planned to seed clouds as part of efforts to put out the forest fires in Benguet. — DVM, GMA Integrated News