CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Governor Dennis Pineda has augmented the task force for preventing grassfire in Mount Arayat.

The governor has ordered the inclusion of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to the Mount Arayat Sinukwan Task Force to ensure that it is more than capable of handling grass fire if it breaks out in the mountain.

The order came after two consecutive fires broke out inside the protected area of the sleeping stratovolcano a few weeks ago. According to an investigation, the fire was “man-made” as a grassy area was deliberately set on fire to clear it for farming, a process called kaingin.

The said grassfire resulted in the destruction of more than 30 hectares of land in Mount Arayat.

According to Pineda, the task force will be responsible of studying the effect of the burning of the area once heavy rain pours from the top of the mountain.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office is also prepared to put signages around the mountain to remind the public of what not to do inside the protected area.