THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has placed all units in Pangasinan on Blue Alert from December 1 to 22, and on full Red Alert from December 23 to January 2, 2026, in anticipation of holiday-related emergencies.

Fire Chief Inspector Jun Wanawan, Dagupan fire marshal and concurrent operations officer of BFP Pangasinan, said the Blue Alert requires at least 60% of personnel on duty, while the Red Alert mandates 100% presence in all stations.

Speaking during the “Pantontongan Tayo” program of the Philippine Information Agency, Wanawan said BFP Dagupan has only 28 personnel operating two fire trucks, all of whom will be on duty once Red Alert is raised on December 23.

He confirmed that “Oplan Iwas Paputok” is already in effect, although there are still no reports of firecracker sales or early explosions. Joint inspections with the PNP and local government have begun in all barangays to prevent the illegal manufacture of firecrackers and fireworks.

Wanawan appealed to Dagupan residents to avoid exploding firecrackers and instead use alternative noise-making devices to observe Christmas and New Year traditions safely.

Data from BFP Pangasinan show 299 fire incidents recorded from January 1 to November 30 this year, lower than the 413 cases logged in 2024. Of these, 239 were structural fires, compared to 265 for the whole of last year.

He added that the local BFP can conduct fire safety inspections only until December 14, following national guidelines meant to prevent accusations of soliciting gifts from establishments during the holiday season. (Leonardo Micua)