| (philstar.com) Updated March 20, 2010 06:38 PM |
MANILA (Xinhua) -- A forest fire started five days ago in Palawan of southern Philippines is still raging with no sign of extinction, local media reported Saturday.
The fire, in the western part of Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape bordering the city of Rizal, has affected more than 100 hectares and is continuing to spread, said local sources who have witnessed the fire.
Initial police reports indicated that the fire was ignited by illegal slash-and-burn farmers who had intended to clear a portion of the forest for planting.
The mayor of Rizal ordered forest fire brigades to take effective measures to control the spread of the fire. Other municipalities straddling the Mantalingahan Range have also taken measures to prevent the fire from spreading.
The 120,457-hectare Mount. Mantalingahan was recently declared a protected area through a decree issued by Philippine President Gloria Macapaga Arroyo. The range has attracted numerous scientific expeditions after several discoveries of new species of plants and animals.
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