4-hectare grass fire hits Naga upland, BFP cites extreme heat
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A grass fire fueled by extreme heat scorched an estimated four hectares of upland terrain in Naga City, Cebu, on Monday, May 1, with authorities pointing to high temperatures as the likely cause.
Fire investigators said the Naga grass fire broke out in the vicinity of Barangay Naalad on the afternoon of May 1 and burned through the night due to difficult terrain that slowed response operations.
According to Bureau of Fire Protection investigators, the Naga grass fire likely started hours before it was first reported.
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FO2 Alvin Curtina, chief investigator of the Naga City Fire Station, said responders traced the origin to intense daytime heat igniting dry cogon grass in an elevated area.
“Base sa among na-conduct nga investigation karong adlawa kuyog sa DENR, nabantayan ang kayo alas 4 sa hapon gahapon. Ang cause of fire ani ang init sa adlaw,” Curtina said. (Based on our investigation today with the DENR, the fire was first noticed around 4 p.m. yesterday. The cause of the fire was the heat of the sun.)
He added that smoke may have already been present earlier in the day but went unnoticed.
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“Possible before pa 4 p.m. nag-aso na ni siya kay cogon man gud ni,” he said. (It’s possible that even before 4 p.m., it was already smoldering because the area is covered with cogon grass.)
Delayed response, difficult terrain
A nearby guard initially dismissed the smoke as a controlled burn.
“Gatuo lang siya nga naay gadaob so gibaliwala ra niya,” Curtina said. (He thought someone was burning something, so he ignored it.)
Authorities received a report at around 4:50 p.m., prompting the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to dispatch fire trucks a minute later.
Firefighters arrived at 5:06 p.m. and managed to place the blaze under control upon arrival. However, steep and elevated terrain prevented direct access, prolonging full extinguishment.
“Dili man gud mapasiritan kay dili man maduol,” Curtina explained. (We couldn’t spray water directly because we couldn’t get close.)
Firefighters declared the fire out at around 12:50 a.m. on May 2.
Personnel continue to monitor the area to prevent flare-ups, with responders stationed on higher ground due to limited access for fire trucks.
Estimated damage: 4 hectares
Initial assessment from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources placed the affected area at around four hectares, though officials plan to conduct drone mapping to confirm the exact extent of the Naga grassfire.
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“Base sa amo makita, mga 4 hectares gyud siya,” Curtina said. (Based on what we see, it’s around 4 hectares.)
He noted that while grass fires have occurred in the area before, previous incidents remained small and quickly contained.
Public warned vs. open burning
Authorities reiterated warnings against practices that could trigger fires, especially during extreme heat.
“Bawal gyud magdaob,” Curtina stressed. (Open burning is strictly prohibited.)
He urged residents to report illegal burning to local authorities and practice proper waste management.
“Kaning mga basura, proper segregation sad ni nato… dili lang daoban,” he said. (Waste should be properly segregated… do not burn it.)
Curtina also warned against careless disposal of cigarette butts.
“Bawal pataka og labay sa sigarilyo, dapat patay gyud siya before ilabay,” he said. (Do not throw cigarettes carelessly; make sure they are fully extinguished before disposal.)
Authorities continue to monitor the area as hot weather conditions persist, raising the risk of similar incidents in upland and grassland areas.
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