XN000022-1978-10-09 — Page 6

MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1978

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SUNDAY FIRES RAVAGE COUNTRYSIDE

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MORE THAN 5,000 TREES WERE DESTROYED IN 21 HILL FIRES YESTERDAY (SUNDAY).

AND IN THE SHING MUN AREA ALONE SOME 3,000 TREES WERE DESTROYED IN TWO SEPARATE FIRES, ONE LASTING TWO AND A HALF HOURS AND THE OTHER FOR TWO HOURS.

IN VIEW OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF VISITORS TO GRAVE SITES TOMORROW (TUESDAY) FOR THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL, THE RED FIRE WARNING WILL BE ISSUED. THIS MEANS THE RISK OF FIRE WILL BE EXTREMELY HIGH. SUDDEN DRYNESS, LOW HUMIDITY AND NORTH OR NORTH-EASTERLY WINDS ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FIRE RISK.

DURING YESTERDAY'S FIRES THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AND ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE HELICOPTERS ATTENDED TO FOUR OF THE HILL FIRES AND ASSISTANCE WAS ALSO CALLED FOR FROM THE CIVIL AID SERVICES.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FIRES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH GREATER IF SUCH ASSISTANCE WAS NOT FORTHCOMING.

TOMORROW THERE WILL BE 300 FOREST GUARDS AND 150 C.A.S. PERSONNEL ON DUTY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE TO CHECK THE POSSIBLE OUTBREAK OF FIRE. RAF AND RHKAAF HELICOPTERS WILL BE ON STANDBY AT SHEK KONG.

THE SPOKESMAN WARNED VISITORS TO THE COUNTRYSIDE TO EXERCISE THE UTMOST CAUTION WHEN BURNING JOSS STICKS OR PAPER AT GRAVE SITES. HE ALSO WARNED THAT OFFENCES RELATING TO FIRE COULD RESULT IN A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5,000 AND A POSSIBLE

IMPRISONMENT OF ONE YEAR.

HE ADVISED PEOPLE TO USE A CANISTER OR METAL CONTAINER FOR BURNING AND ENSURE THAT THE FIRE IS PROPERLY EXTINGUISHED BEFORE LEAVING THE SITE.

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