Rubber trees destroyed by grass fire in N. Cotabato town

KIDAPAWAN CITY -More than a hundred rubber trees were caught by grass fire after a still unidentified villager allegedly threw a lighted cigarette on dried leaves in Barangay Pulang Lupa, M’lang, Saturday.The fire, which started at about 3 p.m. andlasted for at least an hour, was the second incident since last week. The first was last Friday when a grass fire damaged at least 20 rubber trees, also in Barangay Pulang Lupa. On March 15, more than a thousand trees planted on a two-hectare lot inside a forest rehabilitation area in Barangay Amas, this city, were destroyed by grass fire, which lasted three hours. Most of those damaged trees were endangered species, including Lawaan and Molave, according to Jonathan Arquilla, caretaker at the Research Center of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Arquilla hinted a cigarette butt caused the fire.He said the incident was the third since February 22. Fire officials in North Cotabato said they responded to at least 30 grass fires in towns of M’lang, Matalam, Magpet, Makilala, and in KidapawanCity, since January. They said the severe dry spell or drought has worsened the situation.