XN000022-1989-04-01 — Page 14

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SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1989

HILL FIRE WARNING FOR GRAVE WORSHIPPERS

THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TODAY (SATURDAY) URGED THE PUBLIC TO TAKE EXTRA CARE IN HANDLING FIRES WHEN THEY VISIT THEIR ANCESTRAL GRAVES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE DURING THE CHING MING FESTIVAL PERIOD.

LAI,

AND

THE DEPARTMENT'S COUNTRY PARKS PROTECTION OFFICER, MR C.W. SAID: "THERE WERE 22 HILL FIRES REPORTED IN THE LAST CHING MING CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVALS, DAMAGING SOME 1,000 TREES AND 97 HECTARES OF PLANTATIONS.

||

THESE FIRES WERE CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE.

THE ΤΟ

"IN VIEW OF THE PREVAILING DRY WEATHER CONDITION AND

MAKING POTENTIAL HIGH FIRE RISK, THE DEPARTMENT IS

EVERY EFFORT SAFEGUARD COUNTRY PARK PLANTATIONS ON THE FESTIVAL DAY NEXT WEDNESDAY BY PUTTING 25 TEAMS OF 250 FIRE FIGHTERS ON STAND-BY, ROUND-THE- CLOCK, MR LAI SAID.

THE AFD FIRE FIGHTERS WILL BE JOINED BY SIX TEAMS OF 160 CIVIL

DEPLOYED AID SERVICES PERSONNEL, INCLUDING 40 CADETS

ON FIRE WATCH

DUTIES.

MR LAI STRESSED THAT NOTWITHSTANDING THE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT. THERE WAS A GENUINE NEED FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE CAREFUL.

"THEY CAN HELP MINIMISE THE HIGH RISK OF FIRE JUST BY OBSERVING A FEW SIMPLE RULES, HE ADDED.

ti

THESE RULES ARE:

t BURN WORSHIPPING ITEMS IN METAL CONTAINERS;

*

DO NOT LEAVE LIGHTED UNATTENDED; AND

*

CANDLES, JOSS ARTICLES AND PAPERS

MAKE SURE ALL BURNING ITEMS ARE EXTINGUISHED BEFORE LEAVING THE GRAVE SITES.

MR LAI ALSO REMINDED

DESIGNATED BARBECUE AREAS.

PICNICKERS TO LIGHT

FIRES ONLY

AT

TO $2,000

MAY BE

ILLEGAL LIGHTING OF FIRES INSIDE COUNTRY PARKS MAY LEAD MAXIMUM FINE OF $5,000 AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT, AND A FINE

IMPOSED FOR CAUSING FIRE ANYWHERE

ΤΟ A

OF

UP

IN

THE

COUNTRYSIDE, HE WARNED.

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