Avoid disposing of lighted cigarette butts in grassy areas. Be sure to have a pail of water in case a fire breaks out to prevent it from spreading to other areas.
The Bureau of Fire Protection’s provincial office gave these tips to the public after it recorded 16 grass fires from January to March this year in Cebu City.
Three grass fires were recorded in Cordova town, two in Carcar City and one each in the towns of Carmen, Dalaguete, Ginatilan, Pinamungajan and Medellin. In Central Visayas, the BFP said there were 53 grass fires and forest fire outbreaks. Of the 53, 28 were in Negros Oriental.
SF04 Joseph Ababon, chief of operations of the BFP provincial office, said grass and forest fires are mostly caused by warm weather and tourists throwing their lighted cigarette butts into grassy and forested areas.
In Cebu City SF03 Roylin Maratas, chief of the regional BFP’s intelligence and investigation section said Ramon Hulleza Jr., a resident of barangay Basak San Nicolas was fined P5,000 for burning dry leaves near his house which caused a grass fire.