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Tapochao fire spreads
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Posted on Apr 01 2005
The bush fire that broke out Thursday at the southern top portion of Mt. Tapochao spread further yesterday, but the Department of Public Safety said the blaze has not reached residential areas.
Before dawn early yesterday morning, from Saipan’s lower grounds such as San Jose, the flames could be seen engulfing several portions of Mt. Tapochao, covering almost the entire top portion of the mountain.
Dark smoke billowed from the burning mountain, reducing aerial visibility in affected areas. The wind blew charred debris from the fire scene, the detritus reaching as far as Chalan Kiya. The Emergency Management Office has not issued an advisory related to the fire.
Firefighters who have been attempting to respond to the forest fire could see no point of entry for their fire trucks, but they have been monitoring its progress to prevent it from spreading to residential areas on Mt. Tapochao. No casualty has been reported so far.
The fire was still going on as of yesterday noon, based on the latest information obtained from the Department of Public Safety’s Fire Division. The site of the fire is known as Evergreen, which derives its name from its thick vegetation.
Although fire investigators have yet to come up with the cause of the blaze, speculations are rife that high weather temperature resulted in the incident. Thursday’s temperature reached 30ºC. It decreased yesterday to an average of 27ºC.
DPS spokesman Eric David reported Thursday that flames engulfed the forest by up to one-mile diameter, but they appeared to be dying naturally.
As of yesterday afternoon, dark smoke could still be seen billowing from Tapochao, although the flames were not visible from Saipan’s lower grounds in broad daylight.
The forest fire is the second one on Saipan this year. The first one broke out at the boundaries of Kannat Tabla and Papago Sunday night, leaving firefighters nearly helpless in putting out the blaze had it not been for a heavy downpour.
