A forest fire hit 250 Acacia mangium trees and other native species at Spur 21 in Barangay Bunga, Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental, Wednesday afternoon, April 28.
The trees on half a hectare of the National Greening Program area were burned in the fire that lasted from about 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, head of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office – Bago City, said.
The fire started from the grass and burned the leaves of the trees, but they can grow again when it rains, he said.
The 250 Acacia mangium trees planted in the area are about four to five years old, Gerangaya said.
The trees are located on a hill beside the highway, he said.
Somebody could have thrown a cigarette that triggered the fire, he said.*