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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1978
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WARNING AGAINST LIGHTING FIRE IN COUNTRYSIDE
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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TODAY URGED VISITORS AND PICNICKERS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTION AGAINST FIRE NOW THAT THE DRY SEASON IS APPROACHING.
THE APPEAL FOLLOWS REPORTS OF 37 GRASS FIRES DURING THE THREE DAYS OF THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL HOLIDAYS BETWEEN LAST SATURDAY AND MONDAY,
FOUR GRASS FIRES BROKE OUT ON HONG KONG AND OUTLYING ISLANDS, SEVEN IN KOWLOON AND 26 IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. THREE OF THE FIRES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES RAGED FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT WARNED THAT THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HILL FIRES IN RECENT WEEKS, BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED MOSTLY BY CARELESSNESS OF VISITORS TO COUNTRYSIDE.
HE SAID THAT EACH YEAR THOUSANDS OF TREES WERE DESTROYED AND HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE WERE BLACKENED BECAUSE OF CARELESSNESS OF HOLIDAYMAKERS.
HE APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC TO ENSURE THE FOLLOWING SIMPLE RULES ARE ADHERED TO WHEN VISITING THE COUNTRYSIDE:
*
CIGARETTE ENDS AND MATCHES SHOULD BE PROPERLY EXTINGUISHED BEFORE BEING DISPOSED OF=
* LIGHT BARBECUE FIRES ONLY IN DESIGNATED PLACES AND DO NOT LEAVE BURNING PAPER AND CHARCOAL UNATTENDED-
* TAKE CARE WHEN HANDLING JOSS STICKS, CANDLES
LANTERNS OR WHEN BURNING PAPER DURING GRAVESIDE CEREMONIES OR OTHER FESTIVALS= AND
* CLEAR AWAY ALL RUBBISH BEFORE LEAVING THE SCENE.
THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT APART FROM DESIGNATED AREAS, IT IS AN OFFENCE TO LIGHT A FIRE NEAR A FOREST PLANTATION OR A PROHIBITED AREA IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.
+ANY PERSON WHO IS FOUND COMMITTING SUCH AN OFFENCE IS LIABLE TO A FINE OF UP TO $2,000 AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT, HE WARNED.
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