Thirteen fires, ten of which were grassfires, hit Bacolod City on Tuesday, April 2, amid a forecasted heat index of 42 degrees Celsius.
A grassfire with alarming huge flames hit seven hectares near the Northbound Terminal in Barangay Banago at 5:41 p.m. and was extinguished at about 8 p.m., the Bacolod City Fire Station (BCFS) reported.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez visited the Missionaries of Charity in Barangay Banago, who care for the indigent elderly and sick, as alarm was raised that the raging grassfire was close to their facility and the smoke could be harmful to their patients.
Benitez assured that the nuns and patients at the facility were okay.
A grassfire also hit two hectares in Barangay Bata at 7:46 a.m. and was declared out at 9:51 a.m., the BCFS reported.
Fire also destroyed the house of Roland Dillapeña Tulopia at Bangga Totong, Brgy. Felisa, Bacolod City, while rubbish and vehicular fires were also reported on Tuesday.
Bacolod City has been hit with 262 grass, 40 rubbish, 8 sugarcane, and 38 post fires for a total of 348 this year, the BCFS reported.
There were also 205 fires reported in March, 130 of which were grassfires.
Benitez called on the public as well as all barangay and purok officials to be extra vigilant against grassfires and other fire incidents, and to immediately report them to the nearest fire station, lawyer Caesar Distrito, the mayor’s spokesperson, said.
“The mayor also asked barangays to organize or reactivate volunteers as part of the firefighting initiatives of the city,” Distrito said.
The mayor reminded Bacolod residents to avoid burning their garbage and to make sure fire-prone and combustible materials are stored safely, he added.*