I
N
Monday, December 31, 1973
"Persons going into the countryside for picnice or camping should
not light fires while these very dry and windy weather conditions persist.
Farmers and gardeners too must not attempt to burn rubbish where sparks can
spread to nearby vegetation," he stressed.
"These precautions may cause inconvenience, but as the fire reports
show, the results of years of painstaking work in improving the environment
are being destroyed in a few hours, and the community is losing millions
of dollars worth of its amenities."
The spokesman pointed out that persons found guilty of damaging
the vegetation by lighting fires in or near government plantations were liable
to heavy penalties.
Penalties under various ordinances at present range from fines of
up to $2,000 and imprisonment of 10 years.
The spokesman stressed that fire prevention was the responsibility
of everyone and he gave the following simple guidelines to reduce the risk
of fires.
PREVENTING HILL FIRES
Be careful with matches and cigarette ends
If going out for picnic, bring pre-cooked food instead of barbecuing
Report any outbreak of fire to forest fire control centre of the Argiculture and Fisheries department (during office hours: K-688523, after office hours: K-781211) or Fire Services Department (dial 999) Help to put out fire wherever possible.
/FIGHTING