Wildfire strikes Zambales mountain
INQUIRER FILES
SAN ANTONIO, Zambales — A wildfire broke out on a mountain in Barangay Pundaquit in this town but was eventually contained after several days, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
Senior Fire Officer Alejo Ramirez, officer-in-charge of the San Antonio Fire Station, said the fire was reported to their office around noon on Monday and quickly spread due to strong winds.
“Firefighters responded immediately, but since our fire trucks couldn’t access the area, we used boats to cross a river and trekked up the mountain. We manually controlled the fire using knapsacks and buckets,” Ramirez told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
The fire was initially contained by noon but reignited around 8 p.m., finally subsiding past 11 p.m. on Monday.
“On Monday night, the fire appeared widespread, but it did not threaten residential areas due to a river acting as a natural firebreak,” Ramirez explained.
Authorities are still investigating the cause and extent of the fire while continuing to monitor the area.
In addition to the mountain blaze, firefighters also responded to bamboo fires in two nearby villages on Monday. INQ
Photo attached.
A photo taken by local resident Kevinlhoyd Agasa on Monday shows the widespread extent of the wildfire on a mountain in Zambales. (Contributed)
