ARMY & CANADAIRS SENT TO BATTLE FIRES STILL RAGING ON KORCULA

( Editorial: --> 2416 ) BLATO, Aug 7 (Hina) - Croatian Army soldiers have joined residents and volunteer firefighters in efforts to extinguish a blaze on the southern Adriatic island of Korcula. Flames which erupted north of Blato early Thursday morning are still raging and are gradually approaching the small town, municipal head Branko Bacic said. "We are expecting the area to be soon hit by fire fighting forces from the air and that the fire will be under control by this evening," he said. The local volunteer brigade has been assisted by its counterparts in Vela Luka and Smokvica. No details on damage are available at this stage. Bacic said during the past two days the fire had burnt about 800 hectares of pine forest and olive groves as well as farm houses and a home in Prizba while six homes had received fire damage. Two helicopters and two Canadair planes are currently being used to fight a blaze in the Priscapac bay, where guests at an apartment settlement and the Alfir hotel in Prizba were evacuated last night. However, Bacic said most of the fires on the south-western coast of the island near the settlements of Prizba and Grscica were put under control today. (Hina) mbr 071912 MET aug 98