XN000022-1986-01-09 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1986

SIR DAVID VISITS HILL FIRE FIGHTERS

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON FLEW TO THE SHING MUN COUNTRY PARK AREA TO VISIT FIRE FIGHTERS WHO HAVE BEEN BATTLING THE THIRD STRIKE HILL FIRE THERE SINCE YESTERDAY MORNING.

AFTER ADDRESSING COURSE MEMBERS OF THE SENIOR STAFF COURSE IN MUI WO, SIR DAVID BOARDED A ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE HELICOPTER TO SEE FROM THE AIR THE DAMAGE WHICH THE HILL FIRE HAD DONE TO THE SHING MUN AND TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARKS.

MORE THAN 850 HECTARES OF PLANTATION AREA AND SOME 130 000 TREES HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY THE FIRE, THE WORST IN HONG KONG SINCE 1979.

HE LATER DROPPED IN AT THE SHING MUN COUNTRY PARK MANAGEMENT CENTRE WHERE HE WAS BRIEFED ON THE LATEST PROGRESS OF FIRE FIGHTING BY THE DEPUTY CHIEF FIRE OFFICER (NT), MR LI KWOK-CHOI, AND THE COUNTRY PARKS PROTECTION OFFICER, MR LAI CHING-WAI.

SIR DAVID THEN WENT TO THE TWISK MANAGEMENT CENTRE WHERE HE CHATTED WITH FIRE FIGHTERS FROM THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AND THE BRITISH FORCES.

BEOFRE DEPARTING, SIR DAVID SAID CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY, THE FIRE SERVICES, THE RHKAAF AND THE BRITISH FORCES IN FIGHTING THE HILL FIRE HAD BEEN GOOD AND WAS IMPROVING.

HE SAID THE IMPORTANT THING IN DEALING WITH SUCH A SITUATION WAS CO-ORDINATION OF EFFORTS, AND THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED HAD SUCCEEDED IN CONTAINING THE FIRE.

BUT SINCE THE DRY WEATHER WAS CONTINUING, SIR DAVID SAID ADDITIONAL MEASURES HAD TO BE TAKEN, NOTING THAT THE TAI MO SHAN, SHING MUN, AND TAI LAM COUNTRY PARKS AND THE TAI PO KAU NATURE RESERVE WOULD BE CLOSED FROM THIS SATURDAY.

+ I'M SURE THE PUBLIC WILL UNDERSTAND THE REASONS FOR THIS AND PUT UP WITH THE MINOR INCONVENIENCE UNTIL THE DANGER HAS PASSED, HE SAID.

+ I WOULD APPEAL TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION AND HELP IN PRESERVING OUR COUNTRYSIDE, HE ADDED.

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