(Eagle News) – If you’re climbing Mt. Pulag, bring a fire extinguisher.
This is a new requirement after a fire caused by tourists destroyed a portion of the mountain on January 20, the park superintendent’s office said.
It added that Mt. Pulag will be closed to tourists for five to six months so the grasslands will regrow.
Authorities said a group of hikers from Cebu brought a butane gas burner and after they lit it, the burner exploded.
The surprised hiker threw the device into a grassy area of the mountain, causing it to destroy 1.5 percent of the 387-hectare grassland.
The park management added that strong gusts of wind made the fire bigger.
