Thick haze hinders plan to put out Lanao forest fire

MARAWI CITY, Philippines - Authorities have determined the exact location of the hinterlands in Lanao del Sur province being razed since Thursday by forest fires, but could not get close to the scene due to rugged terrains.

In an advisory, the office of Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. said the conflagration is at the tri-boundary of Butig and Wao towns in Lanao del Sur and Alamada, North Cotabato.

Saripada Lucman Pacasum Jr., Lanao del Sur’s disaster risk reduction management officer, said the fire could have started in an open field with scorched Cogon grasses (Imperata Cylindrica) and spread fast to adjoining hinterlands.

Pacasum, who is now in the area, said haze have been so thick, preventing them from getting any closer to the scene.

Pacasum said folks have informed him there is an active small volcano near the area.

Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Friday dispatched a team, led by his deputy, ARMM Vice Gov. Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman, to conduct an aerial assessment of the extent of the forest fire.

Lucman said he will first meet the barangay officials in inhabited areas around the fire scene to gather information and secure guides that can help experts get close to the scene to investigate.