Since February 21, 2024, the Philippine Air Force has been relentlessly performing heli bucket operations in various areas of Benguet Province to combat forest fires. Continuing these efforts, a Bell-205 helicopter executed two sorties of such operations on February 27, 2024, in Sajatan and Bokod Benguet.
Additionally, on February 25, 2024, the Bell-205 helicopter performed two sorties of heli bucket operations in Bokod, Benguet dropping a total of 11 water buckets across Barangays Karao and Banao. The following day, the same aircraft conducted three sorties over Itogon, Benguet dropping 15 buckets on Mt Lusod.
Notably, besides the Province of Benguet, the PAF also deployed a helicopter in Ilocos Norte for heli bucket operations in an ongoing fire over Solsona-Apayao Road on February 23, 2024.
Working closely with Civil Defense Cordillera, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and local government units (LGUs), the PAF's Tactical Operations Group 1 and 505th Search and Rescue Group are actively coordinating to develop measures for sustained efforts to address the forest fires.
Beyond these operations, the PAF routinely conducts aerial reconnaissance, in collaboration with LGUs, to assess the fire situation and strategically plan their response.
As of today, the fire suppression efforts are ongoing, and the PAF remains committed to working alongside other agencies until the fires are fully extinguished.
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