BAGUIO CITY — The Provincial Government of Benguet temporarily halts any tourism-related activities in the municipality of Itogon as the huge fire continue to ravage its mountains and forests.

In its Executive Order 2024-10, Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas ordered the suspension of tourism activities within the mountains of Barangays Tinongdan and Dalupirip. The governor said this is due to the continuous spread of the forest fire.

According to the reports of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Benguet and the Itogon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), series of fire incidents razed Barangays Ampucao, Dalupirip and Tinongdan. The fires started since mid-part of January 2024.

From 28 to 31 January of this year, a huge fire consumed large forest and bush areas of Sitio Palangshe of Dalupirip and Sitio Simpa of Ampucao. On 2 February, the fire spread in the vicinity fo Ambasa and Mt. Ugo of Barangay Tinongdan.

Diclas said that the fire continue to spread to various direction despite the efforts of the communities and local government units (LGUS) in the area together with concerned agencies of the government.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) also participated in suppressing the fire. Personnel of the Tactical Operations Group 1 of the PAF conducted fire suppression using bambi buckets together with the 505th Search and Rescue Group of the PAF. 

The area affected and still burning was estimated at more than 20 hectares since the fire started.

Meanwhile, members of the communities, the police and firefighter are also dealing with the mountain fire at Camp 30, Atok, Benguet that started in the afternoon of 4 February and got bigger in the early morning of 5 February.