OCD: 287 hectares of land affected by Ilocos Norte grass fire

The grass fire that hit a mountainous area of Carasi, Ilocos Norte on Thursday affected a total of 287 hectares of land, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Sunday.

According to the OCD, 50 hectares of the total land affected were part of the National Greening Program overseen by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The grass fire in Barangay Barbaquezo was reported by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Carasi on January 30 at 2:30 p.m.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Ilocos Norte declared the fire under control by noon the following day. The BFP officially declared fire out by 2 p.m., but ongoing operations remained in place to ensure safety in the vicinity.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

The MDRRMO Carasi, in collaboration with the BFP and forest rangers, worked together to contain the grass fire, preventing its spread and reducing its intensity.

The Carasi Municipal Police Station, along with the 1st and 2nd Philippine Marine Force Companies (PMFC), also provided security and assistance in the firefighting efforts. The Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group 1, meanwhile, arrived in Ilocos Norte on Friday to conduct heli-bucket operations.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) also deployed two aerial assets, including a Black Hawk helicopter and a Huey helicopter, to bolster firefighting efforts.

The OCD said that aerial reconnaissance was conducted on Saturday morning to assess the situation in the area.

In a meeting, the agency said they discussed the creation of fire lines to prevent future spread of the grass fire, and continuous monitoring of remaining smoke by DENR forest rangers, among others. —Giselle Ombay/KG, GMA Integrated News