MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Wednesday it is preparing criminal charges against seven hikers who were behind the blaze that destroyed more than five hectares of grassland of Mt. The Protected Areas Management Board for Mt. Pulag has indefinitely suspended all hiking and trekking activities on Luzon’s highest peak after a bush fire on Saturday night razed around 1.5 hectares of the mountain’s grassland. To prevent a repeat of the incident, the DENR said it is planning to impose additional requirements for hikers wanting to climb Mt. Pulag, at over 2,900 meters above sea level, is the third highest peak in the Philippines and is classified as a critical biodiversity area because of its rich plant and animal life.

Source: Philippine Star January 24, 2018 10:41 UTC