There is much that the public can do to keep from losing property and lives to fires.
We should not leave lighted candles unattended in the house or forget to unplug appliances or secure electrical connections illegally.
We must remember the numbers of our fire department and barangays that have fire trucks.
Builders of houses and other edifices must ensure that they are made of heavy if not fire-retardant materials.
Building officials must routinely inspect buildings to make sure fire exits are not blocked and extinguishers have not expired.
School authorities and other leaders must regularly conduct fire drills in their spheres of influence.
There is more that the government can do to prevent fires, but foremost is proper planning and zoning in cities and towns.
Cebu City Hall widened roads and reclaimed parcels of land in barangay T. Padilla and Ermita only in the wake of recent fires in these areas.
It would be vanity to imagine what would not have happened if only these places had more wide open spaces that fire trucks could easily access.
Would fires be so damaging if we had not allowed structures to mushroom in such an unplanned way, unmindful of the fact that they can become inescapable furnaces when fires break out?
In our search to be a model economy and a tourist hub, we must not forget that fire-proofing our communities is part of livability.