Baguio city: The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the Cordillera region reported a total of 288 fire incidents in 2025, resulting in PHP122.89 million in damages.
According to Philippines News Agency, Fire Inspector Katherine Albino, BFP-Cordillera chief operations officer and information officer, revealed that the majority of the damage, amounting to PHP116.39 million, was due to structural fires. Non-structural fires caused PHP3.18 million in damage, while transport fires accounted for PHP3.32 million. In the first two months of 2026, fire incidents in the region increased to 85 from 43 during the same period last year.
Albino identified the primary causes of these fires as open flames from cooking with liquified petroleum gas or firewood, electrical ignition from arcing and loose connections, overheated home appliances, and unattended lighted candles. The province of Benguet recorded the highest number of fire incidents.
Meanwhile, Fire Chief Supt. Robert Pacis, deputy director for operations of the BFP national headquarters, mentioned the ongoing training of personnel for operating fire choppers to be acquired. These choppers will also be used for air medical transport and are suited to the region's terrain, particularly for combating forest fires in areas inaccessible by road. Pacis emphasized the utility of these choppers in the mountainous terrains of the Cordillera and other parts of the country, drawing on his experience as a former BFP-Cordillera director.
