By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A forest fire scorched at least half a hectare of land in a hill located along Spur 21 Purok Bagacay, Barangay Kumaliskis in Negros Occidental’s Don Salvador Benedicto (DSB) town yesterday afternoon.

In an interview with RMN DYHB-Bacolod, John Ever Encarnacion, one of the witnesses in the area, said the fire started shortly around 12:30 p.m.

Encarnacion said the fire quickly spread because of the dry leaves and grasses in the hillside.

A fire truck from the Bureau of Fire Protection in Don Salvador Benedicto immediately responded and quickly quelled the blaze.

Engineer Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, park superintendent of the Northern Negros Natural Park, said the fire damaged about half an hectare of forest land.

Gerangaya said they are currently investigating the cause of the fire./DGB, WDJ