NO TERRORISM, BUT THERE IS ARSON BEHIND SUMMER FIRES - SAYS MINISTER

ZAGREB, July 13 (Hina) - This year's fires, especially the recent ones, are not the result of organised terrorist actions, but there are instances of deliberate arson, Croatia's Interior Minister Sime Lucin told a government session on Thursday submitting a report on this year's fires. Five of 230 of the most recent fires were caused deliberately, in three cases by pyromaniacs. The minister said all five were Croats, reiterating there was no terrorism or organised arson behind this year's fires. The most frequent causes are negligence, weed- burning, inappropriate handling of welding equipment, as well as extreme climate conditions, he added. A total of 4,277 fires burning 35,442 hectares of land were recorded in Croatia between the beginning of the year and the end of June, including 400 forest fires over 7,101 hectares of land, with damage estimated at 17.2 million kuna (US$2.15 million). Between July 1 and 10, 291 fires burned 4,664 hectares of land, including 21 forest fires over 1,680 hectares and damage of 520,000 kuna (US$65,000). The number of this year's fires is indisputably higher than last year, and that of forest fires even double, said the interior minister. Lucin denied assumptions that this year was extreme in terms of the number of fires, but granted it was extreme in terms of land that was burned. One has to keep in mind, however, that the climate is extreme and has brought other Mediterranean countries even bigger problems with fires, he added. Lucin said fire-fighting units had established that phosphorus granules had not been the cause of any one fire. He thanked fire-fighters, the Croatian army, 'canadair' aircraft and helicopter pilots, and all who helped in extinguishing the fires. He agreed with other members of the government that prevention and monitoring were imperative, pointing out charges had been pressed against 875 subjects who had failed to do their task in prevention entirely. Prime Minister Ivica Racan said a higher level of responsibility was requisite to more efficiently deal with the danger of fires. The government today appointed members to a headquarters coordinating and ensuring conditions for an effective implementation of fire-extinguishing programmes. The government's crisis centre coordinating activities in the event of large-scale open fires must come up by year's end with fire-prevention activities for next year. (hina) ha