The Philippines’ susceptibility to the El Niño phenomenon claimed another victim, with fires blazing from two of Bohol’s conically-shaped Chocolate Hills. According to reports, the tourist attraction caught fire at 7 in the evening last May 1, 2024, and quickly spread across the mounds due to the dry grass caused by extreme heat.
via Adon Orog
Fire Officer 2 Jose Añus, an investigator of Carmen, Bohol’s Bureau of Fire Protection, mentioned that the fires were put out after three hours, as a sole truck was deployed to the scene. The region’s heat index reached 41 degrees celsius prior to the incident.
“Amo lang gimonitor ug gistandbyhan. Wala namo gisaka kay daghang kahoy ug dili ka sud among fire truck.”
(We just monitored and stood by it. We need not go up since there were a lot of trees and our fire truck could not get inside),” Añus tells ABS-CBN News.
As of writing, officials have yet to determine the value of the damage caused and the total land area affected, as no locals and residential areas were harmed. Authorities are scheduled to return to the scene on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, to investigate further.
