XN000022-1989-10-05 — Page 9

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1980

8

PREVENTION THE SOLUTION TO HILL FIRE PROBLEM

PREVENTION, RATHER THAN FIRE FIGHTING, IS THE SOLUTION

HONG

OF

PROBLEM OF COUNTRYSIDE FIRES IN (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS) DEPARTMENT, MR FRANK LAU, SAID TODAY

TO THE KONG, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

THURSDAY).

HELD AT THE TWISK MANAGEMENT 1989-90 COUNTRYSIDE

HE WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY CENTRE OF THE TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK TO LAUNCH THE FIRE PREVENTION PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN.

MR

NOTED LAU

THAT

RAVAGED

THE WHICH THREATENED COUNTRY

OF THE HILL FIRES COUNTRYSIDE LAST YEAR, 234 HAD OCCURRED INSIDE OR PARKS, DESTROYING 97,000 TREES IN AN AREA OF 2,000 HECTARES.

KONG ARE CAUSED BY "VIRTUALLY ALL COUNTRYSIDE FIRES IN HONG

THE OUTBREAK OF HILL FIRES MAN. USUALLY AS A RESULT OF CARELESSNESS.

FIRES IN COULD BE REDUCED IF EVERYBODY IS MORE CAREFUL IN THE USE OF THE OPEN COUNTRYSIDE, HE SAID.

ANY INCORRECT USE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM

MR LAU REMINDED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT OF FIRES IN THE OPEN COUNTRYSIDE IS AN OFFENCE FINE OF $5,000 AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.

IN

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD

DEPARTMENT, SERVICES

DEVELOPED AN EFFECTIVE

THE

WITH CONJUNCTION

AND FISHERIES AGRICULTURE SYSTEM OF HILL FIRE DETECTION AND FIRE FIGHTING. HE SAID.

AID

ROYAL

THE SERVICES, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CIVIL

HONG THE FIRE FIGHTING KONG AUXI IARY AIR FORCE AND THE ROYAL AIR FORCE,

DAMAGE CAUSED SYSTEM HAD MANAGED TO REDUCE CONSIDERABLY THE LOSS AND BY HILL FIRES.

THE FACT

NEVERTHELESS,

REMAINED THAT HILL FIRES DESTROYED COVER. VEGETATION

KILLED WILDLIFE AND DESTROYED THEIR HABITATS, DEFACED THE SCENIC COUNTRYSIDE AND EXPOSED THE SOIL TO EROSION.

"HILL FIRES MAY EVEN THREATEN

LIFE AND

ADDED.

MR PROPERTIES,"

LAU

COUNTRY PARKS ΤΟ TO PREVENT HILL FIRES. HE URGED VISITORS TO

MAKE SURE THE FIRES WERE LIGHT FIRES ONLY IN BARBECUE PITS AND TO

BEFORE LEAVING. EXTINGUISHED

HE ALSO EMPHASISED THAT LIGHTED CIGARETTES MUST NOT BE THOUGHTLESSLY THROWN AWAY.

THEIR OFFERINGS RUBBISH AND

MR LAU ALSO ADVISED GRAVE WORSHIPPERS TO BURN

THAT FARMERS BURNING ONLY IN CONTAINERS. AND HE ADDED WEEDS SHOULD NOT LEAVE THESE FIRES UNATTENDED,

то

FOR GENERATIONS

"WE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE A DUTY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROTECT OUR SCENIC HILL LANDS BOTH FOR OURSELVES AND TO COME.

"WE

MUST

..

PREVENTION.

A TAKE HE SAID.

MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE

IN HILL

FIRE

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