Mt. Asog grass fire under control

MANILA, Philippines — The grass fire on Mt. Asog, also known as Mt. Iriga in Camarines Sur, is under control, the Iriga city environment and natural resources office said.

According to Iriga CENRO head Ramon Parica Jr., the fire affected 20 hectares of land, including the ridge lines and portions of Barangays Santiago, Sta. Elena and Sto. Domingo in Buhi town.

Parica said firefighters created a fire line to prevent the blaze from spreading further to other areas.

He added that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is coordinating with their counterparts in other localities to make sure that the fire is put out completely.

Fire investigator Niño Lagrimas said the BFP is coordinating with the Buhi town government to address the remaining fire pockets in their territory.

Lagrimas said the blaze could have been caused by man-made activities, including honeybee hunting, charcoal making and copra production, or due to negligence, such as hikers leaving behind lit cigarette butts.

Teams from the Iriga CENRO and BFP are scheduled to verify the situation in sloping areas and ensure that no embers are rekindled.