THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1983
FIRE-HAZARD FORCES CLOSURE OF FIVE PARKS
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THE TAI LAM, TAI MO SHAN, SHING MUN AND POK FU LAM COUNTRY PARKS AND THE TAI PO KAU NATURE RESERVE WILL BE CLOSED INDEFINITELY TO ALL VISITORS FROM SATURDAY (DECEMBER 3) BECAUSE OF THE HIGH FIRE RISK IN THEIR WOODLANDS.
THE ORDER WAS MADE TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN WHO SAID THAT THE MOVE WAS REGRETTED, BUT WAS MADE IN THE INTEREST OF COUNTRY PARK PROTECTION.
VISITORS TO THESE AREAS WILL BE ADVISED TOMORROW TO MOVE OUT BEFORE SATURDAY AND CLOSURE SIGNS ARE BEING ERECTED AT ENTRANCES TO THE PARKS. +HO FIRE+ SIGNS ARE ALSO BEING PUT UP AT THE FEW BARBECUE SITES ON THE FRINGES OF THE CLOSED PARKS.
ALL OTHER COUNTRY PARKS WILL REMAIN OPEN, BUT VISITORS ARE BEING URGED TO TAKE SANDWICHES OR PRE-COOKED FOOD IN PREFERENCE TO BARBECUING TO MINIMISE THE RISK OF FIRE.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT LIGHTING A FIRE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OUTSIDE A DESIGNATED BARBECUE SITE IS AN OFFENCE CARRYING THE MAXIMUM PENALTY OF $2 000 AND THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.
THE PENALTY FOR ILLEGALLY LIGHTING A FIRE INSIDE A COUNTRY PARK IS $5 DOO AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.
HE SAID THAT MOST OF THE FIRES REPORTED SO FAR THIS SEASON HAD BEEN OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY PARKS AND THERE HAD BEEN NO CASE OF A FIRE ORIGINATING FROM BARBECUE SITES WHICH ARE CAREFULLY SITED IN SAFE LOCATIONS AND ARE UNDER SUPERVISION BY PARK RANGERS.
THE CLOSURE ORDER, HE ADDED, WAS MADE PURELY FOR PROTECTIVE REASONS.
ORGANISED HIKING GROUPS AND MORNING WALKERS ARE ADVISED TO PLAN THEIR ACTIVITIES IN THE UNCLOSED PARKS.
THE DEPARTMENT'S CONTRACTORS WORKING IN THE COUNTRY PARKS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO STOP WORK ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS WHILE FARMERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED ON HOW TO DISPOSE OF WASTE VEGETATION SAFELY.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE HEAVILY-WOODED AREAS TO BE CLOSED ARE VULNERABLE TO FIRE AND FOREST PLANTATIONS THERE ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE PROTECTION OF WATER CATCHMENT AREAS.
*WITHOUT THE TREES, HE SAID, THERE WOULD BE SEVERE EROSION WHICH WOULD SILT UP THE RESERVOIRS.+
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