LEGAZPI CITY — Air Force and disaster officials here have declared the area around Mount Mayon a nofly zone after they were flooded with requests from local and foreign tourists for aerial sorties to take a look and document the rumbling volcano from above.

This as Mayon continued to spew ashes from the crater and the northeast monsoon (amihan) blows the ash deposits on the slopes towards the southwest, affecting the towns of Camalig, Daraga and Guinobatan, all in Albay.

Air Force Col. Kit Caraga, commander of the Tactical Operations Group 5 based in Legazpi City, said their pilots will be the first to observe the five-kilometer no-fly zone around Mayon because of the dangers posed by the volcanic ash on aircraft.

“We extended the no-fly zone area to 10 kilometers in the southwest area of Mayon Volcano because that is where the ashes are going,” Caraga said in an interview.

“We did this as a safety measure because once ash particles entered the engine, this will spell trouble; the worst case scenario is that the engine would suddenly stop from functioning while in the air,” he added.

Raffy Alejandro, director of the Office of Civil Defense in the Bicol region, said they have started coordinating with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to come up with guidelines for private and commercial planes about the danger posed by Mayon’s unrest.

Alejandro said they are particularly concerned with low-flying aircrafts that may suddenly appear near the volcano despite its continuous spewing of lava, ashes and other pyroclastic materials.

It was Alejandro who revealed that some tourists have been requesting the local Air Force command in Legazpi City for permission to fly around the volcano.

“It is dangerous. Mayon is in alert Level 4 and that means a hazardous eruption may occur any time. We have been trying to register a zero casualty on this and we don’t want them to be hurt,” said Alejandro.

“We were also advised by Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) that there would be shockwaves that will definitely occur in case of major eruption. And this will certainly affect any aircraft flying within the vicinity of the Mayon crater if the hazardous eruption occur,” he added.

As of Monday morning, volcanologists have recorded seven ash explosions in times of good visibility. Some of the explosions spewed materials as high as two kilometers from the summit, while continuous flow of glowing lava was also observed overnight.

Meanwhile, local military units sent more soldiers in the declared danger zones following reports that some residents have turned themselves into tourist guides for foreigners who want to get near the restive volcano.

Army Capt. Razaleigh Bansawan, spokesman of Task Force Mayon, said they particularly boosted the curfew and military presence in the Bonga-Mabinit area after officials reported seeing some foreigners, accompanied by locals, touring the gullies where the lava is expected to flow in case of a major eruption.

“They were sightseeing in the area with locals as their guides. It’s very dangerous there because lava and other pyroclastic materials would certainly head to that direction if a major eruption happens,” said Bansawan.

Meanwhile, Albay Governor Joey S. Salceda has ordered a complete ban in the sale and use of fireworks and firecrackers inside evacuation centers in the province.

Salceda also instructed the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police to initiate fire drills and conduct fire safety education sessions to all evacuees to avoid injuries during the coming New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Salceda said the sale and use of all kinds of fireworks and firecrackers are prohibited within 300 meters from the evacuation camps, adding that violators face fines and penalties stipulated under RA 7183 or the act regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of firecrackers.

“I passed by Bagumbayan elementary school last Monday and I saw some people selling firecrackers. Confiscate all the firecrackers,” Salceda told the PNP during their meeting yesterday morning at the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council office.

Salceda said this is the first time people would be celebrating New Year’s Eve in evacuation camps and they are aiming for zero injuries from firecrackers and fireworks.

“We don’t want anything that can cause fire,” he emphasized. (With a report from Jenny F. Manongdo)