• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An estimated 150 hectares of mixed forest and grassland areas located within the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon Volcano have been damaged by fires that have been occurring for almost 10 days.
Authorities, however, clarified that the fire incident, which started from April 19 up to April 29, has nothing to do with the intermittent ash emission activities of the volcano.
Philip Lechoncito, Officer-in-Charge and Park Superintendent of the Mount Kanlaon Natural Park, reported that the fire in Sitios Pastohan and Mananawin in Barangay Masulog, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, as well as in Brgy. Masulog, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, which started on April 19 and was contained on April 27, damaged about 150 hectares of grass and shrubs, with minimal damage on the native old growth trees.
Another fire broke out on April 28 in the same area of Brgy. Masulog in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, which damaged at least one hectare of mixed forested and cogonal area, and the blaze affected several native trees within the Kanlaon Volcano protected zone.
While they have yet to establish the source of the fire on the April 19 incident, Lechoncito said the latest fire incident originated from activities of persons engaged in the extraction of honey from beehives.*
