Grass fire razes mountainous area in Carasi

GRASS FIRE. Firefighters put out a fire on Jan. 31, 2025 in a mountainous area in Carasi, Ilocos Norte. Responders said the fire broke out on the afternoon of Jan. 30. (Photo courtesy of OCD)

Carasi, Ilocos Norte—Some 378 hectares of the mountainous parts of Brgys. Barbaquezo and Virbira in this town was razed by fire that started around 2 p.m. of Jan. 30, 2025.

No injuries have been reported and the cause of the forest fire has yet to be determined, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said Jan. 31, 2025.

A fire out was declared past noon Friday but Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc ordered continued monitoring and deployment of aerial assets, citing the need to be on guard due to unpredictable wind direction in the mountains.

He said the primary affected areas were those with pine trees and cogon grass, but did not reach the plantation area under the national greening program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“Thank you to [Defense] Secretary Gibo Teodoro, [Office of Civil Defense Administrator] Usec. (Undersecretary) Ariel Nepomuceno, [Ilocos Norte 1st District] Congressman Sandro (Marcos), Bureau of Fire Protection, Office of Civil Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Air Force, Philippine National Police, Navy, and Marines, uniformed personnel, and the provincial, municipal, and barangay officials and private partners for extending support to help douse the blaze since yesterday,” he said in a statement.

Aside from coordinated efforts, a helicopter bucket was used to help battle the grass fire.

To prevent wildfires, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer Marcel Tabije said barangay ranger officers have established “fire breaks” in hotspot areas or those near DENR’s national greening program areas.

Local government units have also implemented measures to help prevent grass fires.

For one, the municipal government of Piddig has temporarily banned visitors to visit the Mount Lammin camp site and ensured the protection of its coffee plantation project from grass fire.

In nearby Banna town, hunting of abuos (ants eggs) or any activity that can ignite fire is strictly prohibited under the so-called tropical rainforest conservation ordinance including the anti-burning law and no smoking policy under Republic Act 9003 and the comprehensive fire code of the Philippines. (Leilanie G. Adriano)

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