XN000022-1987-10-29 — Page 12

11

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1987

"WORSHIPPERS MUST NOT LEAVE

BURNING TRIBUTES UNATTENDED AND

HE SAID.

THESE SHOULD EVENTUALLY BE EXTINGUISHED,

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO URGED PEOPLE TO EXERCISE EXTRA CARE IN PREVENTING FIRES AS THE DRY AND WINDY SEASON IS ALREADY PREVAILING.

THERE WERE 14,883 CALLS OF FIRES IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR COMPARED WITH 14,011 IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF 1986, HE SAID.

WORSHIPPERS GIVEN FIRE SAFETY ADVICE

{THURSDAY) MATERIALS

THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY URGED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO TAKE EXTRA CARE WHEN BURNING WHEN THEY VISIT THEIR ANCESTORS' GRAVES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE DURING THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL PERIOD.

IN VIEW OF THE HIGH FIRE RISK, ANY CARELESS HANDLING USED IN WORSHIPPING COULD EASILY SPARK A COUNTRYSIDE BLAZE.

2

OF ITEMS

OFFICER, MR THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR COUNTRY PARKS

3.P. SAID THE RECENT SCARCITY OF RAINFALL AND DECREASING HUMIDITY MADE COUNTRYSIDE VERY VULNERABLE TO FIRES.

LAU,

THE

BROKE OUT IN PLANTATION AND 5,400

"DURING LAST WEEKEND ALONE, A TOTAL OF 10 FIRES OR NEAR COUNTRY PARKS, DAMAGING 38 HECTARES OF TREES," HE SAID.

"AT CHUNG YEUNG LAST YEAR, A TOTAL OF 36 FIRES RESULTING IN

TREES 5,600

AND 155 HECTARES OF DAMAGED, MR LAU SAID.

*

WERE REPORTED,

BEING PLANTATION

WHICH COULD SIMPLE RULES, SUCH

HE SAID ALL THESE FIRES WERE CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF PEOPLE HAD OBSERVED A FEW AS:

BURN WORSHIPPING ITEMS ONLY IN METAL CONTAINERS;

*

DO

NOT UNATTENDED;

LEAVE

LIGHTED

CANDLES,

JOSS

STICKS

AND

PAPERS

MAKE SURE ALL

WORSHIPPING

ITEMS ARE

EXTINGUISHED

BEFORE

LEAVING THE GRAVE SITES.

/MR LAU