MINE FIELDS HAMPER EFFORTS TO PUT OUT SPREADING FOREST FIRE

( Editorial: --> 1395/1385 ) ZAGREB/NOVIGRAD/DUBROVNIK, Aug 2 (Hina) - Winds have helped fan a forest fire which erupted near Novigrad on Saturday night, with efforts further hampered by mine fields. Croatian Radio reported on Sunday night that the blaze had still not been put out, as the winds had spread fires towards the settlements of Paljuv and Prigrad in the Zadar County on the central Adriatic. Fire fighting efforts are being lead by Zadar Police Department fire crews and a Canadair fire fighting plane. Low-lying vegetation and pine forests have been engulfed in the blaze. Police said another blaze was occurring near the settlement of Skrabrnje, where the existence of minefields are also burdening fire fighting efforts. Meanwhile, a fire which started this morning at about 10.15am near Ponikve on the southern Adriatic peninsula of Peljesac has still not been put out, although it has been localised. On Sunday night the commander of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Police Department fire fighting unit, Pero Djuric, said the fire had burnt 150ha of land, mostly pine forest and dense brush. Engaged in fire fighting efforts are professional and volunteer fire fighters from across the peninsula and two Canadairs and a fire fighting helicopter. (Hina) mbr 022200 MET aug 98