NORTH COTABATO, Philippines - A forest fire has been raging for the last two days on one side of majestic Mt. Apo, officials told The STAR on Sunday.
Firefighters and volunteers from Lumad settlements have been trying to control the fire, according to wildlife park in-charge Edwin Ragaza.
Mountaineers who trekked to Mt. Apo’s summit, the country’s highest at more than 12,000 feet above sea level, during the Lenten holidays had been brought to safety.
Joey Recemilla, the tourism officer of Kidapawan City, told reporters the fire started on the side of Mt. Apo facing Davao del Sur.
A bigger part of Mt. Apo is surrounded by North Cotabato’s Magpet and Makilala towns.
The city government of Kidapawan is helping protect Mt. Apo through its Protected Management Area Management Board.
According to reports reaching Recemilla's office, the forest fire started as a grass fire in an open field, but eventually spread to nearby forests.
Firefighters battle blaze on Mt. Apo
The fire reportedly started as a grass fire but has since spread. File photo