By CESAR JOLITO IIII

A wildfire continues to spread within Kanlaon Volcano’s permanent danger zone (PDZ), affecting more than 100 hectares of forestland, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.

The grass fire, which started around 10:00 a.m. on April 19, is burning within Kanlaon’s three- to four-kilometer PDZ.

Affected areas include Sitio Pastolan in Barangay Masulog and the Trangkalan in Sitio Mananawin, both in La Castellana town.

Initial assessments indicate minimal damage to native trees, with most of the affected vegetation consisting of grass and shrubs.

Philip Lechoncito, Mount Kanlaon Natural Park area superintendent, said the fire was allegedly caused by the smoke burning of a beehive to eliminate bees in the area.

He clarified that the incident was not triggered by ash emissions from the volcano.

Authorities are gathering information from nearby residents to identify those responsible for the fire.

Coordination between the Bureau of Fire Protection and local disaster response units is ongoing to contain the blaze.

The DENR has recommended further assessment by concerned agencies and urged the Office of the Civil Defense to closely monitor the situation.

It also proposed granting clearance for responders to enter the four-kilometer PDZ to suppress the wildfire and prevent further spread.

Containment efforts remain underway as authorities continue to assess risks within the restricted zone./CJ, WDJ