Mt. Apo fire in Kidapawan area already contained —city official

KIDAPAWAN CITY - A forest fire that threatened to reach Lake Venado and the 72-hectare Ma-ag reforestation area of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) operating the Mount Apo Geothermal Power Plant was already contained as of Sunday evening, a top official confirmed.

Joey Recemilla, chair of the eco-tourism committee of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), said the extent of the damage brought by a bushfire that started Saturday afternoon has already been so wide, destroying forests mostly in the towns in Davao del Sur province surrounding Mount Apo.

The PAMB raised on Monday the category of the blaze on Mount Apo from bush fire to forest fire.

A forest fire is an uncontrolled fire that takes a long time to control. This could result in massive destruction of the Mount Apo forest.

At least 200 volunteers from the towns of Makilala, Magpet and Kidapawan City were deployed at the base camp of Lake Venado at the foot of Mount Apo to ensure that the forest fire will not penetrate the Kidapawan-Magpet-Makilala (KMM) eco-tourism triangle.

Recemilla said the volunteers armed with equipment such as spades, rakes, bolos and chainsaws conducted clearing operations within the lake and the periphery of the reforestation area and built a buffer line to prevent the fire from escalating.

Recemilla explained that the buffer line which was 10 meters wide and at least 200 meters long was a big help in stopping the forest fire from going near the lake and affecting the remaining flora and fauna as well as the Tinikaran trees planted at the base camp.

“What we did with the volunteers is to clear the peripheries of any dried materials including cutting of some trees to build a fire line,” Recemilla said.

He also lauded the local government units especially that of the KMM eco-tourism triangle for coordinating the logistics and providing food for the volunteers who stayed at the base camp for almost 48 hours since the fire broke out on Saturday afternoon.

Hundreds of people fled Mount Apo's peak after the fire broke out.

“We already contained the fire. The KMM eco-tourism triangle is now safe but still we are on tight watch especially that the fire is still on-going in Davao region and the wind direction keeps on changing every minute,” Recemilla explained.

Recemilla also disclosed that 120 trekkers using the Kidapawan trails were all accounted for and safely returned to their respective places of origin.

“They are all safe. None of them was hurt when going down the peak after the fire broke out,” Recemilla said.

Recemilla also clarified that there was no foreigner among the trekkers who used the KMM trails.

Areas still under threat

Based on PAMB’s monitoring as of Monday, areas in Davao del Sur that are under threat of forest fires include the remaining forest canopy of the Sta. Cruz town; all trails going to the peak; the Tamayong area; and camp sites in Sitios Kulan, Godi-Godi, Tompis.

As to the extent of the damage, PAMB has yet to release reports.

Camp fire

As to the cause of fire, reports said a group of trekkers who used the trails in Sta. Cruz town could have started the blaze after they created a small fire near their camp in Lake Venado just to warm them on Good Friday night.  

Though Recemilla refused to confirm such report, he, however, said it could be a possibility. The PAMB will investigate the matter, he explained.

“But right now, what we will do is to immediately put off the fires on Mount Apo.   And we need help, we badly need them so as to save the mountain,” he said. 

Trails closed

Mayor Joseph Evangelista on the other hand recommended that the Mount Apo Summer Trek be suspended due to the said incident.

Evangelista said all Kidapawan trails will be totally closed to climbers this summer to prevent similar incidents from happening.

The mayor said it will take at least five years to rehabilitate the mountain. The forest fire that erupted on Saturday had destroyed four corners of the peak and affected flora and fauna.

North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Talino-Mendoza challenged whoever was responsible for the fire at the Mount Apo National Park to be brave enough to come forward and admit responsibility.

Mendoza also called on the public to provide authorities with information as to who may be responsible for the Mount Apo fire.

“This would be helpful in identifying those who should be held accountable for this abominable act,” Mendoza said in a statement.

“In this prolonged El Niño phenomenon, the provincial government has not been remiss in reminding Cotabateños and visitors to be cautious and responsible in their actions in these sites,” Mendoza statements said.

“With heavy heart, I am urgently pleading for help in order to address this fire at the Mount Apo National Park. Any help in any form from any well minded people is needed at this time. Let us all act and give our share in preserving our natural park,” Governor Mendoza concluded. —KG, GMA News