LOOK: Chocolate Hills Hit by Grass Fires

(SPOT.ph) Due to extreme heat, grass fires hit Bohol's Chocolate Hills on the night of Tuesday, April 30. And while the fire is now out, pictures of its effects on the treasured landscape are making the rounds online. 

Also read: Why Is There a Resort in the Middle of Chocolate Hills?

Fire turns Bohol's Chocolate Hills a too-literal brown

Two hills by the view deck of the Chocolate Hills Complex in Barangay Buenos Aires, Carmen, were affected by the grass fires. Flames first erupted past 7 p.m. on the night of Tuesday, with members of the Bureau of Fire Protection-Carmen keeping watch until it was declared fire out around three hours later.  Due it being night, the BFP could not bring a firetruck in. They also report that this is not the first time the geological feature has been hit by grass fires. 

BFP-Carmen team leader Ian Blair Reyes told Inquirer.net that the fire spread quickly since the grass covering Chocolate Hills had become extremely dry in the hot weather. Thankfully, it seems only two hills suffered the most damage. 

Carmen resident Adan Orog, who lives near the Chocolate Hills Complex, was able to record throughout the fires. He tells SPOT.ph that it was his sister who noticed the flames first. Orog posted pictures and clips of the fire to his Facebook page on Tuesday night, wherein you can see fires ravaging the hills. In the morning after, he also shared pictures taken at 6 a.m. which showed the aftermath, with the hills a dark brown completely void of grass or any plants. You could also still see smoke rising from the land. 

Bohol's Chocolate Hills can count for nearly 2,000 of these mound-like geological formations scattered throughout three Tagbilaran towns: Carmen,  Batuan, and Sagbayan. This national treasure is known for it's unique shape and features, and is so named due to its appearance during the dry season. Unfortunately, it seems the recent high temperatures have cause it to become too true to its name.