Forest fire razes Mount Banahaw

MANILA, Philippines  (Xinhua) - At least 50 hectares of forest and grasslands have been razed by a fire that broke out at the mystical Mount Banahaw in Northern Philippines on Wednesday evening, and the military has deployed at least three helicopters to stop the fire, a senior government official said today.

Eduardo del Rosario, the executive director of the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said that one Huey II and two UH-IH helicopters were conducting the so-called "Bambi Bucket Operation" and aerial damage assessment at Mount Banahaw, an active volcano at Sariaya town, Quezon province.

He said the helicopters alone were unable to accomplish the mission of putting out the fire due to high altitude and wind.

Based on initial report, Del Rosario said the fire started at around 6:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday initially affecting 10 hectares of forest land. However, latest report said that the fire has already damaged 50 hectares of the mystical mountain, he said.

There were allegations that the fire was probably caused by a lighted candle left by pilgrimage, but investigators were yet to determine the cause. No one has been reported killed or injured by the fire yet.

Mount Banahaw, a popular site among pilgrims, is considered as a national park and protected area in the Philippines.