Davao City fire district activates El Niño plan as vegetation fires pass half of cases
Vegetation and rubbish fires made up 50.5 percent of fire incidents from January to October, prompting the BFP to map hotspots, audit water sources and form quick reaction teams.
The Bureau of Fire Protection-Davao City Fire District (BFP-DCFD) has activated a contingency plan for El Niño after vegetation and rubbish fires accounted for 50.5 percent of fire incidents in Davao City from January to October 2026, according to PravdaReport.
Fire Senior Inspector Frances Marie Sendrijas, the DCFD spokesperson, said at a media briefing on October 28 that the dry weather linked to El Niño has had a direct effect on these types of fires, based on the district's data.
The local plan follows directives from the BFP national headquarters. Fire stations must audit alternative water sources for the coming dry season, including water tanks, swimming pools, rivers and lakes. If regular water supplies run out, firefighters are prepared to draw water directly from these bodies of water. The plan also calls for mapping high-risk areas, drawing up contingency protocols and stepping up campaigns against open burning, which Sendrijas said still happens in the city.
Sendrijas said the bureau began the measures after a September meeting with Interior Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla. The national action plan, presented to Remulla on October 6, covers preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery, and directs regional offices to set up quick reaction teams for wildland fires. These teams are now being formed in Davao City, with more details expected soon.
Fire risk assessments identify grasslands in Toril District and Calinan as main hotspots for grass fires. Densely built communities in Buhangin, Agdao, Matina Crossing and Bankerohan, where homes of light materials stand close together, are also being monitored. Electrical faults are the leading cause of fires there, and Sendrijas noted that power use in these areas doubles during hot weather.
The city recorded 734 fire incidents from January to September 2026, up 37.9 percent from 532 in the same period last year. Grass and agricultural land-clearing fires rose to 123 from 13. The DCFD's 2025 mapping shows 337 of the city's 381 fire hydrants are working, while all 15 fire stations have a serviceable truck, about 18 units in total.
Engr. Alan Ray C. Ribo of DOST-Pagasa Davao projected that rainfall will drop significantly from November, with a dry spell lasting until February 2027.
Why it matters for Davao
With a dry spell expected until February 2027, residents near grasslands and in densely built neighbourhoods face higher fire risk, and authorities are urging an end to open burning.
This article was written by the DavaoNews desk with AI assistance, using reporting by PravdaReport. Facts come from the original report, which we credit and link below. Our editorial policy
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