Haiyan/Yolanda Wildfires. Samar and Eastern Samar Rapid assessment (Draft) Date: 6 April 2014 Assessment period: end of March, 2014 Conducted by: Åsa Granath, Environmental Advisor at OCHA Wildfires in Samar and Eastern Samar. Causes and risks. 1. Introduction and background The rapid assessment of wildfires (causes and risks) was done at the request of Timo Knaute, Head of OCHA's Sub-Office in Guiuan. Wildfires were reported in Samar/Eastern Samar during a couple of weeks in areas affected by Yolanda. The fires started after a period with low precipitation and were most extensive in the end of February 2014. Wildfires were first spotted in the forests of Balangiga town (Eastern Samar) and subsequently went uncontrollable in the ensuing days, and then spread its way to Salcedo, Giporlos and some part of General McArthur. A separate burning forest likewise was reported in Marabut, (Western Samar). Scattered wildfires were also reported from the municipalities of Lawaan, Quinapondan, Basey and Guiuan. No casualties or damages to residential areas were reported. Most of the fires were extinguished by heavy rainfall. (www.philstar.com, www.inquirer.com). Map showing parts of Samar and eastern Samar. Four municipalities in Samar and eastern Samar were visited; Marabut, Lawaan, Balangiga and Guiuan Because of Yolanda there are lots of dried debris (leaves, branches) in both lowland areas, mostly debris from coconut palms, and in the uplands, that easily ignite. Burning of coconut debris to clear land is common, especially in dry weather. Household waste is also mixed with the coconut debris and burned. The assessment was conducted in cooperation with the Guiuan OCHA office. Timo Kraute and/or Gil Francis Arevalo participated in the meetings. 1 Leftover debris from clearance of coconut palms is often burned, here as well the stem. Right. Burning of household waste. 2. Objective Objective of the rapid assessment; Look into causes for wildfires and risks it brings especially to people staying in tents and bunkhouses (because of Yolanda) Get an idea of the capacity at municipal level to respond to wildfires Give some recommendations to prevent fires 3. Scope of work The conducted work included following activities; A review of weather and fire hazard data. Meetings at the municipalities of Marabut, Lawaan, Balangiga and Guiuan. Meetings were held with personal from different administrations; employees from the Bureau of Fire Protection, employees from mayor's office, barangay captain, environmental officer etc. Meeting with the manager of the regional office of PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration). Discussions with the shelter cluster coordinator in Guiuan. Meeting with the regional office of DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resourced) in Tacloban, Meetings were held with the Bureau of Fire Protection. Right, the wildfires affected the uplands. 2 4. Discussion and conclusions The concern highlighted by OCHAs office in Guiuan was that there is abundant fuel, dried debris, because of Yolanda and there is a higher risk for people living in shelters at high ignition risk. Four municipalities were visited and meetings were held on different levels and with different actors. No casualties or damages to residential areas were reported from the interviewed persons. The main concerns brought up were effects on protected (hardwood) forests and damages to water sources and water pipes. Health effects caused by fire smoke were also mentioned. The first time (at least for a long time) forest fires of this extent been reported. Kaingin burning (wikipedia, Slash-and-burn, an agricultural technique that involves the cutting and burning of trees and plants in forests or woodlands to create fields) and similar clearance of farmland that have spread uncontrolled was mostly mentioned have caused the fires. Production of charcoal was also mentioned. Wildfires are man-made in this region and not natural said one of the interviewed. Generally the capacity to pull out wildfire is low or non-existent and most wildfires were extinguished by rain. The municipalities of Marabut, Lawaan and Balangiga have one firetruck each. Guiuan share one fire truck with the neighbouring municipalities Mercedes and Salcedo. There are a lot of debris (leaves, branches) in Yolanda affected areas, both in the hills-upland areas (in protected forests), reforested areas and as well in the lowland with mainly coconut palms. There is a higher risk for fires because of all dry debris that burn easily and is good fuel for fires that also spread easily. Fires that might reach populated places. Especially people living in tents and bunkhouses, that easily ignite, are especially vulnerable if fires will spread uncontrolled. Fires also causes’ environmental impact (air emission) and health effects, fire-smoke can especially effect sensitive persons with asthmatic problems. Debris, leaves and branches, and left-overs from clearance of coconut palm should be classified as solid waste according to RA9003 “Ecological Solidwaste Management Act” (DENR). Management of different waste is regulated. Composting of organic material shall be promoted. Most municipalities are aware about that there might be an El Niño phenomena this year which might lead to less precipitation that might stress water resources (and increase the risk for fires). 5. Recommendations Risk for wildfires must be considered because there are a lot of easily burning debris in the Yolanda affected area. Fire prevention measures are recommended. This could include the following; Raising awareness to not burn dry debris, especially not in dry weather. Promote and support reuse of organic debris (eg composting) Fire prevention and trainings in the camps Look into the possibility to support the municipalities in fire prevention and management of organic debris. Upcoming weather should be assessed and followed up as a disaster risk measure. There is also a need to monitor the weather forecasts while planning recovery efforts. Will an upcoming El Niño higher the risk for fires? If, where are the risks highest and what mitigation measures are required? Other aspects with El Niño, as stresses on water resources and effects on food production, should also be considered. This topic is though outside the scope of this assessment. Åsa Granath, Environmental advisor, OCHA Appendices. Appendix 1. Notes from meetings, Appendix 2. Fire weather index. Appendix 3. Reported fires on Homonhon Island. Municipality of Guiuan. 3 Annex 1. Notes from meetings etc 27 March Municipality of Marabut Barangay Pinalanga. Rene Cacharo, barangay captain. There was one big fire this year after a period of dry weather and the fire was probably caused by clearance of farmland and a fire that spread accidently. In case of a fire they call the fire brigade in Marabut. Bureau of Fire Protection in Marabut. Met personnel from the fire station. Fire(s) was reported in February in the uplands. No casualties or affected residential areas were reported. Fires were put out by rain. There were no reported forest fires in 2013 or recently, what they remember, in the municipality. The firestation has one fire truck that covers the municipality. They do not have the capacity to put out fires outside the populated areas. Municipality of Lawaan Jed P Inciso, water engineer at the municipality of Lawaan. Dried debris (leaves and branches) from Yolanda are burned by farmers for clearing land to prepare for plantation. The fires spread accidently. A forest reserve near that was affected by the fire in the barangay Guinob-An. The municipality has its water source in the area. Their concerns were the water souce and damages to waterpipes, that feeds the municipalities’ drinking water, and the forest, which is protected. The fire was extinguished by rain. They have one fire truck in the municipality. Forest fires have not been reported before in the municipality. Municipality of Balangiga Kenneth Gales, employee at the municipality. Wildfires in the hills in February were caused by burning of cleared debris and/or for production of charcoal and fires that spread accidental. There was a fire in the hills that started around 15-16 February and it lasted for about 2 weeks. Rain extinguished the fires. No people or settlements were affected by the fires but some damages on the forests. Their concerns by the fires are; health effects, fire smoke affect asthmatic persons, damages to protected forests, which is the water source for their water supply and the water pipes that might be damaged by the fires. What he knows this is the first time they have wildfires with that extent. The area that burned was mostly owned by DENR (the protected areas) and private land. There is a forest guard to protect the forest against illegal cutting in the uplands. Fjel Inting, environmental engineer. The Hard-wood/protected forests that was burning. The big trees were not affected by the fires but the seedlings in replanted areas (reforestation areas) and dry debris (leaves, branches). He has lived in the area since 2004 and this is the first time wildfires are reported. He heard from some elder people that there was a forestfire(s?) in the 70s following a typhoon. In the area they are doing “kaingin” burning, slash and burn, to clear for farmland which might cause land degradation and erosion. They are looking into the possibility to support composting of debris but have so far not had time or capacity to look into the issue. The forests, including mangrove, are described in a “Forest land-use plan” from 2011. 28 March Bureau of Fire Protection in GuiuanMeeting with STOI Marianito C. Cablao and FOI Denzel A. Sible. The fire station serves the municipalities’ of Guiuan, Mercedes and Salcedo and they share one fire truck. One big fire reported from Salcedo this year around the same time as the fire(s) in Lawaan and Balangiga. The fire in affected about 10 ha.