Unseen Embers: The Anatomy of Wildfires and Grassfires in the Philippines

Photo: Chat Ansagay 

Location: General Santos City Airport

Taken: 12:50 PM - March 20, 2026

Wildfires and grassfires in the Philippines are primarily seasonal phenomena driven by human activity and exacerbated by the country’s tropical dry season. While often overshadowed by typhoons, these fires present a recurring threat to biodiversity, agriculture, and upland communities, particularly during El Niño cycles.

Dynamics and Vulnerabilities

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In the Philippine context, these fires are distinguished by their vegetation types:

• Grassfires: Prevalent in degraded forest lands and mountain slopes covered in "flash fuels" like cogon or talahib grass. These ignite easily and spread rapidly, often serving as a precursor to larger forest fires.
• Forest Fires (Wildfires): The most fire-prone ecosystems are the pine forests of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), particularly Pinus kesiya stands. During extreme droughts, even dipterocarp rainforests in Mindanao—traditionally too wet to burn—have experienced massive fire incidents.

Leading Causes of Ignition

Nearly 85-90% of wildfires in the Philippines are linked to human actions.

• Agricultural Practices: "Kaingin" or slash-and-burn farming remains a significant driver as farmers clear land for crops.
• Negligence: Improperly discarded cigarette butts and unattended cooking fires are frequently cited by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
• Resource Collection: In regions like Ilocos Norte, fires are often accidentally started by wild boar hunters or wild honey collectors using smoke to drive out bees.
• Environmental Factors: Extreme heat and prolonged dry spells (El Niño) dry out vegetation, lowering the "ignition threshold" needed for a spark to become a blaze.

Recent Trends (2024–2026)

Data from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) indicates that March, designated as Fire Prevention Month, consistently sees a spike in incidents as the dry season peaks.

• 2024 Surge: A total of 22,302 fire incidents were recorded nationwide, the highest in five years, largely attributed to the severe El Niño cycle.
• 2025 Mitigation: Incidents in some regions like Northern Mindanao and Ilocos Norte dropped by 30-80% due to intensified multi-agency strategies and "fire line" planting by the DENR.
• 2026 Early Data: The first quarter of 2026 saw a 24.4% increase in fire incidents during the Holy Week period compared to 2025, though total property damage was significantly lower.

Institutional Response

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and BFP have shifted toward an integrated management approach:

• Task Forces: Establishment of inter-agency forest fire task forces involving the military and local government units for regular patrols.
• Green Fire-Breaks: Using the National Greening Program to plant specific tree species that act as natural fire lines.
• Modernization: The BFP Modernization Program aims to establish a fire station in every municipality to decrease response times in remote areas.

REFERENCE

• Bureau of Fire Protection. (2026, April 11). Fire incidents rise in Q1 2026; fatalities and damage decline. ABS-CBN News. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/11/fire-incidents-rise-in-q1-2026-fatalities-and-damage-decline-bfp-1439
• Climate Change Commission. (2022, March 1). CCC joins the Fire Prevention Month observance. https://climate.gov.ph/news/664
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (2026, January 2). DENR cites forest gains, flood reforms amid extreme weather in 2025. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1266107
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (n.d.). 3.2.8 Fire situation in the Philippines. https://www.fao.org/4/ad653e/ad653e47.htm
• Inquirer.net. (2026, March 21). Why fires surge in March and how Filipinos can stay safe. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2198966/why-fires-surge-in-march-and-how-filipinos-can-stay-safe-2
• Philippine Information Agency. (2025, June 25). Ilocos Norte forest fires drop by 81% in 2025 through inter-agency strategy. https://pia.gov.ph/news/ilocos-norte-forest-fires-drop-by-81-in-2025-through-inter-agency-strategy/