INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS INVESTIGATION TO SHOW CAUSES OF FIRES

( Editorial: --> 2373 ) VIGANJ, Aug 7 (Hina) - Interior Minister Ivan Penic has dismissed as "speculation" claims that fires which have engulfed coastal regions of Croatia since Wednesday's commemoration of Homeland Gratitude Day were deliberately lit. There can be suspicions in this but the final investigation, which includes all police structures, will show what actually happened, he said. Penic said information up to now had shown some fires were caused by lightning, some through carelessness and others by sparks from electricity lines. He said Canadair fire fighting planes, used to put out fires on the Peljesac peninsula, had been flying at the limits of their possibilities. Apart from strengthening fire fighting forces in the area, it is also necessary to strengthen and enable volunteer fire brigades in the southern Dalmatia region, the Croatian Interior Minister said. Asked by Hina why efforts to put out the Peljesac blaze began late, Croatia's chief fire commander Mladen Jurin said that reports on the beginning of fires on Peljesac were received late and it was not possible to timely include all available forces in an effective extinguishing of the flames. He assessed the fire fighting situation in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County as very poor. (Hina) mbr /rml 071612 MET aug 98