Heatwave fuels 54% fire surge in Northern Mindanao

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — As a punishing weekend heatwave threatens to push this city’s heat index into the “danger” zone.

This condition comes as authorities are raising the alarm over a deadly 54-percent spike in fire emergencies across Northern Mindanao.

State meteorologists project the “feels-like” temperature to hit a blistering 41 degrees Celsius this Saturday and Sunday.

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While actual daytime temperatures will hover around 33 to 34 degrees, humidity is still stifling particularly during the peak heat hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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The extreme heat is already exacting a heavy toll.

Latest data from the Bureau of Fire Protection in Northern Mindanao (BFP-10) shows 343 fire incidents across the region in three months from April to June this year.

This figure is up by 54 percent from 222 during the same dry-spell months last year.

The fast-moving blazes have claimed 10 lives and left an estimated P570 million in property damage.

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In a video advisory Friday, November 6, District Fire Marshal Supt. Christopher Regencia warned that the intense heat serves as a direct trigger for the disasters.

“Due to the extreme heat now in Cagayan de Oro City, there is a continuous rise in fire incidents affecting many homes,” Regencia said in Bisaya.

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The sweltering weather rapidly dries out wood and household waste, making it dangerously easy for stray sparks to ignite, he told residents.

It also compromises overhead appliances and electrical wiring, he added.

Mayor Rolando Uy has mobilized the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD), alongside BFP-10, to urge hyper-vigilance in the communities.

Regencia noted that fire investigators point to faulty electrical wiring, overloaded extension cords, neglected gas leaks, unattended open flames, and backyard garbage fires as the leading causes of the recent infernos.

Beyond the fire risks, CDRRMD chief Nick Jabagat earlier asked the so-called ‘vulnerable’ residents — particularly infants and the elderly — to minimize outdoor activities and stay consistently hydrated to ward off heat stroke.

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“Fires can be prevented if we are cautious. It is better to be safe than sorry,” Regencia said. /apl