DENR assesses damage from Davao de Oro forest fire

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Davao Region (DENR-Davao) is assessing the damage from a forest fire that burned an estimated 7 hectares in Sitio Lanipao, Barangay Araibo, Pantukan, Davao de Oro.

The assessment aims to determine the extent of damage to forest resources and guide rehabilitation efforts following the fire reported on Sept. 2.

The DENR, through the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Davao de Oro and concerned Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices, deployed foresters and forest technicians to the affected area.

Initial drone mapping showed that about seven hectares of forest were affected, with an estimated 73 trees damaged.

The DENR said the assessment will determine the extent of the damage and provide a basis for rehabilitating the affected portion of the forest.

Initial reports indicated that the fire may have spread from Sitio Lanipao in Araibo, Pantukan, to Barangay Mapawa in Maragusan. Subsequent verification, however, showed that the fire remained within Araibo and did not reach Mapawa.

The Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire out at 5:16 p.m. Sept. 3.

“DENR 11 will establish firelines to contain future incidents and conduct rehabilitation through planting indigenous tree species. Coordination with local government units and stakeholders is ongoing to strengthen monitoring and fire prevention,” the agency said.

The planned firelines will help contain any future fires, while the DENR will work with local governments and other stakeholders to monitor vulnerable forest areas and strengthen prevention measures.

Once the assessment is complete, the agency will facilitate rehabilitation, including the planting of indigenous tree species suited to the area.

The DENR’s assessment comes as authorities in Davao de Oro also respond to another forest fire reported in Ambawan, Compostela, on the evening of Sept. 3.

Compostela Mayor Levi Ebdao said the fire affected a mountainous area where steep and difficult terrain limited access for conventional fire trucks and ground responders.

The local government sought aerial assistance and additional firefighting resources while ground personnel worked to contain the blaze.

In an update, Ebdao said helicopter assistance had been delayed, but ground personnel had already been deployed to protect accessible portions of the area from the advancing fire.

“Ground personnel deployed sa field. Atong pang depensaan kutob sa maabot sa atong fire trucks inubanan sa tabang sa ubang municipyo (Ground personnel have been deployed to the field. We will defend the area as far as our fire trucks can reach, with help from other municipalities),” Ebdao said.

Ebdao also thanked Gen. Bantilan and Lt. Col. Lagud for their assistance and said coordination with the BFP and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office was continuing.

Authorities have yet to determine the cause and full extent of the Ambawan fire.

Meanwhile, the Davao de Oro Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that the fire affecting the Mapawa, Maragusan, to Araibo, Pantukan area had been extinguished. No casualties were reported.

The two incidents have prompted authorities to maintain close watch over forested and upland areas in the province, particularly in locations where difficult terrain can hamper firefighting operations.

The DENR urged residents to remain vigilant and immediately report forest fires to authorities, especially during periods of dry weather. DEF