ANTIQUE – A grassfire scorched an estimated 425-square-meter mountainous section of Barangay Lacayon in Bugasong, Antique late Thursday night, August 20.
Fire Officer 2 Christopher Margallo of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bugasong reported that the fire broke out around 9:45 p.m.
Initial investigations indicate the blaze started from dried cogon grass and was likely triggered by a discarded cigarette butt thrown by someone passing through the area.
Firefighters spent over an hour battling the blaze due to the dense vegetation and dark, rugged terrain. BFP-Bugasong personnel coordinated with Barangay Lacayon officials to manually extinguish the fire using tree branches and soil-filled shovels because fire trucks could not navigate the steep paths.
Following the incident, BFP-Bugasong urged the public to be careful and avoid throwing lighted cigarette butts outdoors to prevent grass fires.
Both the BFP and the local government unit of Bugasong reiterated that their offices remain open to receive reports regarding hazards and emergency situations./PN
