FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1977
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NEARLY A MILLION TREES DESTROYED IN LAST DRY SEASON
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HONG KONG'S COUNTRYSIDE AGAIN SUFFERED THE RAVAGES OF FIRE DURING THE LAST DRY SEASON WHICH DESTROYED NEARLY A MILLION TREES.
THE LOSS WAS HEAVIER THAN THAT OF THE PREVIOUS SEASON WHEN ABOUT 680,000 TREES WERE DAMAGED. THE NUMBER OF FIRE RECORDED ALSO SHOT UP FROM ABOUT 800 TO ABOUT 1,200.
IT WAS DEVASTATING THAT THE EXTENT OF PLANTATION AREAS AND MANAGED COUNTRYSIDE SCARRED BY FIRES DRAMATICALLY INCREASED TO ABOUT 1,188 HECTARES (APPROX. 3,000 ACRES) - ALMOST DOUBLE THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S FIGURE OF 700 HECTARES.
+THE LOSS WAS ENORMOUS+, REMARKED MR. C.C. LEE, COUNTRY PARKS PROTECTION OFFICER OF THE COUNTRY PARKS DIVISION, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
ALL THIS OCCURRED DESPITE REPEATED WARNINGS AND APPEALS BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES AND FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENTS.
IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE FIRE HAZARD IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, PARTICULARLY IN THE FOREST PLANTATION AREAS, THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT CARRIES OUT CONTROLLED BURNING IN SPOTS SUCH AS ROADSIDE WHERE THICK DRY VEGETATION HAS ACCUMULATED. IN ADDITION, A SERIES OF FIRE BREAKS+ ARE BEING MAINTAINED TO CHECK THE SPREADING OF FIRES. FORESTRY TRACKS WERE CLEARED TO ENABLE FIRE-FIGHTERS TO REACH ANY SPOT WITHIN THE PLANTATIONS EASILY.
SCHOOL CHILDREN WERE ENCOURAGED, THROUGH GENERAL CIRCULARS ISSUED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND EDUCATIONAL T.V., TO REFRAIN FROM DAMAGING THE COUNTRYSIDE BY LITTERING AND CARELESS HANDLING OF FIRE.
DURING THE DRY WINTER MONTHS, PUBLIC EDUCATION ON THE PROPER WAY OF LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING BARBECUE FIRES WAS MAINTAINED THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA.
THE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINED FOREST FIRE CREWS WERE ON STANDBY 24 HOURS A DAY. THEY WERE BACKED BY UNITS FROM THE FIRE SERVICES AND, ON DAYS WHEN LOW HUMIDITY COINCIDED WITH A PUBLIC HOLIDAY, BY MEN FROM THE CIVIL AID SERVICES.
MR. LEE STRESSED THAT HONG KONG'S COUNTRYSIDE COULD ONLY BE PROTECTED FROM FIRE WITH THE FULL CO-OPERATION OF EVERYONE WHO USES IT.
UNDER THE COUNTRY PARKS REGULATIONS, A PERSON CAN BE FINED UP TO $5,000 AND SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT FOR UNLAWFUL LIGHTING OF FIRE.
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