WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1983
HUNDREDS OF HILL FIRES
ACCORDING TO THE
THAT HILL FIRE WAS ONLY ONE OF THE THAT RAVAGED OUR COUNTRYSIDE THIS YEAR. DEPARTMENT'S FIRE PROTECTION OFFICER, MR PAUL CHEUNG, THERE HAS BEEN A FOUR-FOLD INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HILL FIRES THIS YEAR AS COMPARED WITH LAST YEAR.
+THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD THE DRIEST NOVEMBER AND ONE OF THE WETTEST SUMMERS, IN THE LAST TWO DECADES.+ MR CHEUNG SAID. THE WET SUMMER YIELDED AN ABUNDANT COVER OF GRASS AND UNDERGROWTH WHICH, TOGETHER WITH THE NUMEROUS TREE BRANCHES FELLED BY TYPHOON ELLEN, PROVIDED VERY GOOD FUEL FOR FIRES.+
FROM THE START OF THE DRY SEASON IN SEPTEMBER UNTIL THE END OF NOVEMBER, 499 HILL FIRES BROKE OUT, DESTROYING 92 976 TREES AND 1 760 HECTARES OF GRASSLAND AND FORESTRY AREAS. DURING THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, 139 FIRES WERE RECORDED AND 48 HECTARES OF COUNTRYSIDE WERE AFFECTED.
IN VIEW OF THE HIGH FIRE RISK, THE TAI LAM, SHING MUN, TAI MO SHAN AND POKFULAM COUNTRY PARKS AND THE TAI PO KAU NATURE RESERVE HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC SINCE EARLY NOVEMBER.
DESPITE THE BAN, FIVE FIRES HAVE OCCURRED IN TAI LAM AND TAI MO SHAN.
+WHILE CARELESS PICNICKERS WERE TO BLAME FOR MOST OF THOSE FIRES, THERE WERE STRONG INDICATIONS THAT SOME WERE STARTED DELIBERATELY, MR CHEUNG SAID.
*WE ARE TREATING THE MATTER AS A TOP PRIORITY AND A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION IS BEING CARRIED OUT TO TRACK DOWN THE OFFENDERS,+ MR CHEUNG SAID.
HE WARNED THAT THE ILLEGAL LIGHTING OF FIRES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE CARRIES A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5 000 AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.
THE DEPARTMENT URGED THE PUBLIC TO EXERCISE EXTREME CARE DURING THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS AND TO OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING WHEN THEY VISIT THE COUNTRYSIDE:
K
*
EXTINGUISH CIGARETTE ENDS AND MATCHES PROPERLY,
LIGHT FIRES ONLY IN DESIGNATED BARBECUE PITS; OR, BETTER STILL, BRING PRE-COOKED FOOD.
* DON'T LITTER THE COUNTRYSIDE.
+WE WOULD LIKE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE MORE CAREFUL, MORE THOUGHTFUL AND A BIT MORE CIVIC-MINDED WHEN THEY VISIT THE COUNTRY PARKS,+ SAID MR CHEUNG.
+LET US HAVE A FIRE-FREE HOLIDAY SEASON FOR A CHANGE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF OUR COUNTRYSIDE TO THE FULL.+
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