WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1980
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PUBLICITY DRIVE TO PREVENT HILL FIRES
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WITH THE ADVENT OF THE DRY SEASON AND THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL, THE GOVERNMENT IS LAUNCHING A TERRITORY-WIDE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT THE OUTBREAK OF FIRES IN COUNTRY PARKS AND PLANTATION AREAS.
THE CAMPAIGN IS THE FIRST FULL-SCALE DRIVE EVER ORGANISED SPECIFICALLY TO WARN OF THE HIGH FIRE RISK IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, AND REFLECTS GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO REDUCE THE SERIOUS MENÁCE OF HILL FIRE.
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ANNOUNCING THIS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) +DURING THE LAST CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL, THERE WERE 145 FIRES OVER THE THREE-DAY PERIOD. GAVE RISE TO GRAVE CONCERN AND WE MUST DO SOMETHING TO PREVENT SUCH A RECURRENCE. +
DURING THE 12-MONTH PERIOD ENDING JUNE THIS YEAR, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 935 COUNTRYSIDE FIRES, RESULTING IN THE DESTRUCTION OF LARGE AREAS OF GRASSLAND AND OVER 580 000 TREES.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE COMMITTEE HAD IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AREAS TO WHICH SPECIAL ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID. THESE INCLUDE FIRES CAUSED BY GRAVE WORSHIPPING, BARBECUE AND THE BURNING OFF OF VEGETATION.
AS PART OF THE UNITED ALL-OUT EFFORT BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, POSTERS WILL BE DISPLAYED THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, WARNING THE PUBLIC OF THE DANGER OF COUNTRYSIDE FIRES. PUBLICITY ON TV AND RADIO WILL ALSO BE STEPPED UP. OTHER PUBLICITY MEASURES WOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
★ MORE METAL POSTERS WOULD BE PUT UP WHERE GRAVES
ARE CONCENTRATED TO GIVE ON-THE-SPOT WARNINGS-
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THE CIVILIAN INFORMATION TEAM OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION WILL STAGE SPECIAL FIRE PREVENTION FILM SHOWS DURING THEIR VISITS TO VILLAGES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES=
THE MOBILE FILM UNIT OF THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL SHOW SIMILAR FILMS IN THE URBAN AREAS IN ADDITION TO MOUNTING SPECIAL BROADCASTS AT BUS AND RAILWAY TERMINALS TO GIVE FIRE PREVENTION ADVICE TO PICNICKERS AND GRAVE SWEEPERS+.
IN SUPPORT OF THE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN, PREVENTIVE MEASURES WILL ALSO BE TAKEN BY THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED.
THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WILL IMPROVE FIRE FIGHTING ACCESS ROUTES BY CLEARING VEGETATION FROM FOOTPATHS AND BUILDING NEW PATHS INTO INACCESSIBLE AREAS.
/FIRE SERVICES