DENR-8 to public: Report forest fires

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 8 is urging the public to report any forest fires that could have been caused by careless persons.

“The first line of defense against forest fire is to avoid starting a fire. If it cannot be avoided, make sure you watch over and control it,” Forester Allan Cebuano, Chief, Enforcement Division Chief of DENR 8 was quoted as saying in a report.

DENR-8 learned that farming activities such as “kaingin” or slash and burn farming have caused forest fires in Eastern Visayas. Other causes were smoking of honeycombs to collect honey, and cigarette butts among others.

Barangay officials are responsible to report incidents to the involved risk and reduction management council where a protocol is already prepared for the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), including appropriate agencies to respond.

Cebuano warned the public that those responsible for forest fires could be criminally charged under Presidential Decree 705 otherwise known as the “Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines.”

Under the measure, violators will be punished with penalties amounting to not less than P500 to not more than P20,000, and imprisonment of not less than six months or not more than two years.

He added that burning their garbage violates Republic Act 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act”, as well as contributing to air pollution and may start forest fires.

“The local government units and households must cooperate to strictly follow segregation, collection, transportation, and proper disposal of solid wastes. To reduce our solid wastes, we put to heart and practice our recycling and composting methods,” Cebuano concluded.