XN000022-1978-04-04 — Page 4

TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 1978

CRING MING FIRE WARNING *****

PEOPLE ARE URGED TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTION AGAINST HILL FIRES WHEN GOING TO THE COUNTRYSIDE OR THE CEMETERIES TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE IR ANCESTORS DURING CHING MING FESTIVAL PERIOD.

STATISTICS SHOW THAT A TOTAL OF 155 HILL FIRES OCCURRED ON THE LAST CHING MING FESTIVAL DAY COMPARED WITH THE DAILY AVERAGE OF 8.5 HILL FIRES DURING THE YEAR. THE FIRES DESTROYED 350,000 TREES.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ONE REASON FOR THE OUTBREAK OF FIRE IN THE HILLS IS THAT MANY PEOPLE BURN JOSS-STICKS AND PAPER OFFERINGS AT THE GRAVEYARDS.

+WE APPEAL TO THEM TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN BURNING

OFFERINGS.

T

+THEY ARE ADVISED TO CLEAR WEEDS SURROUNDING THE

GRAVE BEFORE THEY START BURNING TO BURN GRADUALLY AND IN SMALL QUANTITIES TO WATCH OUT FOR SPARKS AND HOT ASHES AND IF POSSIBLE TO USE A CONTAINER AS AN INCINERATOR TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF FIRE, HE SAID.

ANOTHER REASON FOR THESE HILL FIRES, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED, IS THAT THE NUMBER OF PICNICKERS IN HONG KONG IS GROWING AND MANY OF THEM SPEND THEIR CHING MING HOLIDAY AT THE COUNTRYSIDE AND HOLD BARBECUE PARTIES THERE.

+BECAUSE OF CARELESSNESS, SOME FORGET TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BEFORE THEY LEAVE, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN GAVE THE FOLLOWING RULES TO HELP MINIMISE FIRE RISKS:

* BE CAREFUL WITH MATCHES AND CIGARETTE ENDS-

*

LIGHT BARBECUE FIRE ONLY IN A DESIGNATED BARBECUE PLACE=

*

DON'T LEAVE BURNING PAPER, CHARCOAL OR JOSS-STICKS UNATTENDED AND

* WHEN GOING OUT FOR PICNIC, IT IS PREFERABLE TO BRING

PRE-COOKED FOOD INSTEAD OF BARBECUE ING.

EXTRA FIRE GUARDS WILL BE ON DUTY DURING THE CHING MING PERIOD TO ENSURE THAT WORSHIPPERS AND VISITORS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE RESPECT THE COUNTRY PARKS CODE.

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