A fire broke out on Mt. Arayat in Pampanga on February 25 but spared the Mt. Arayat Protected Landscape (MAPL), the DENR confirmed.
Ground assessments showed the blaze burned about 6.41 hectares of grassland and scrub vegetation outside the protected area, with no injuries or property damage reported.
Firefighters, local volunteers, and members of the Mt. Arayat Upland Farmers Association manually extinguished the fire due to the steep terrain.
DENR officials recommended regular monitoring, fire prevention awareness, and readiness of firefighting resources in the area.
The report comes a year after a 2025 fire damaged 352 hectares inside the MAPL, including reforestation projects.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 1, 2026
