A grassfire has hit the eastern upper slopes of Kanlaon Volcano, Negros Occidental Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya said Tuesday evening, April 8.
The fire was ignited by superheated ballistic fragments that were thrown out of Kanlaon Volcano’s crater during its explosive eruption, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
Gerangaya said they could not put out the fire near the Kanlaon crater because it is located within the danger zone.
It is near the boundary of Canlaon City and La Castellana, he said.
They thought the fire had ended at about 3 p.m. Tuesday but later discovered that it was just covered by clouds and was still ongoing, he said.
They cannot determine the extent of the damage and cannot approach the area, he said.*