XN000022-1980-04-02 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1980

GRAVE WORSHIPPERS WARNED OF HIGH FIRE RISK

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WORSHIPPERS AT GRAVE SITES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ARE WARNED OF THE HIGH FIRE RISK IN FOREST PLANTATION AREAS DURING THE CHING MING FESTIVAL.

THE WARNING WAS ISSUED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE PREPARE TO FLOCK TO GRAVE SITES TO PAY HOMAGE TO THEIR ANCESTORS,

+ALTHOUGH THE RECENT HIGH HUMIDITY HAS DAMPENED MUCH OF THE UNDERGROWTH, THE RISK OF FIRE IN THE PLANTATION AREAS IS STILL VERY HIGH,+ ́A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.

AND AS A REMINDER OF THE RISK, THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE NEW TERRITORIES SERVICES DÉPARTMENT HAVE PUT UP CAUTION SIGNS AT MOST GRAVE SITES

IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

SENIOR COUNTRY PARKS OFFICER, MR JOHN WHOLEY SAID THE LARGE NUMBER OF FIRE OUTBREAKS AT CHUNG YEUNG AND CHING MING WAS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SINGLE FACTORS IN THE HILL FIRE PROBLEM.

AS AN EXAMPLE HE CITED THE LAST CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL WHEN THERE WERE 145 FIRES OVER THE THREE-DAY PERIOD.

+EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT DURING THE CHING MING FESTIVAL, MOST OF THE COUNTRYSIDE FIRES HAVE BEEN STARTED BY UNATTENDED SMOULDERING JOSS STICKS.

+ IF POSSIBLE, WE WOULD LIKE WORSHIPPERS TO REFRAIN FROM BURNING JOSS STICKS AND PAPER AND TO TAKE PRE-COOKED FOOD WITH THEM INSTEAD OF PREPARING BARBECUES.

+GRAVE WORSHIPPERS SHOULD ALSO CLEAR THE VEGETATION AWAY FROM THE GRAVE BY HAND AND SHOULD HAVE A CONTAINER OF WATER HANDY TO DOUCE ANY FIRE WHICH MAY OCCUR, SAID MR WHOLEY.

PLANS IN HAND TO IMPROVE LANTAU BUS SERVICE

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THERE ARE PLANS FOR SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO ALL BUS ROUTES ON LANTAU ISLAND TO BENEF IT BOTH HOLIDAY-MAKERS AND VILLAGERS, THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR ALAN ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID TODAY.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY AT THE MUI WO BUS TERMINUS IN WHICH HE STARTED THE ENGINE OF THE FIRST DOUBLE-DECKER BUS TO BE BROUGHT INTO SERVICE ON THE ISLAND.

J

HE SAID, AS A RESULT OF MID-WEEK IMPROVEMENTS, ALL MAJOR VILLAGES IN PARTICULAR WILL ENJOY BETTER BUS SERVICES.

/BE SAL