MOST FIRES IN SOUTHERN CROATIA UNDER CONTROL SAYS INTERIOR MINISTRY

( Editorial: --> 2571 ) ZAGREB, Aug 8 (Hina) - About 1,300 people are involved in efforts to contain fires still burning in parts of Croatia's southern Dubrovnik-Neretva County, the Croatian Interior Ministry's (MUP) Fire Operations Centre said on Saturday afternoon. Among those involved are professional and volunteer firefighters, members of specialist civil defence units, Croatian Army soldiers and local residents. In its latest report on the situation in fire affected areas at 4pm, the Centre said the fire on the Peljesac peninsula was under control and was not threatening occupied settlements. The burnt area covered about 1,200 hectares. Joining efforts on the land from 1pm was an Air Tractor reconnaissance-attack plane, which was surveying and water bombing the fire fronts. The report said since this morning winds had helped spread the fire on Lastovo towards the southern Adriatic island's town of the same name, but the blaze had been stopped. About 140 people are currently engaged in fire-fighting efforts with the help of 10 fire vehicles and three Canadair amphibious aircraft. The burnt area covers about 1,000ha of pine forest and dense underbrush. The blaze close to the town of Mokosica, near Dubrovnik, is under control and the remaining fire areas are being cleared. The burnt area covers about 200ha. Fires broke out at about 3pm near the settlement of Plocica, in the far southern Konavle region, and at about 3.50pm in the field next to the motor camp near the settlement of Kupari, just south of Dubrovnik. Fire units have been sent to both areas. The Cavtat-Gabrila fire in the Konavle area is now under control and fire mopping up operations are underway. The burnt out area here is about 700ha and the Air Tractor plane had doused water on the flanks of the fire this morning. The blaze on the northern side of the island of Korcula, located at Greben, is also under control, but still active is the blaze on the south-eastern side near Veli Greben. About 700 people are working in shifts to fight the blaze with 30 or so fire vehicles, with air assistance received from two Canadairs and a fire-fighting helicopter. The burnt area covers about 970ha of pine forest, grassland and dense underbrush. Meanwhile, the Fire Operations Centre in Split received reports at 10.30am that a fire had been reactivated at the waste dump on the island of Brac, near the small town of Pucisce. Volunteer fire brigades have been sent to the area and local authorities have been informed of the urgent need to mop up burnt out areas. Another waste dump fire has erupted on the neighbouring island of Hvar near the eastern settlement of Sucuraj. Volunteer firefighters are engaged in efforts to contain the blaze. Back on the mainland, fire brigades from the Split-Dalmatia County Police Department have been sent to a fire near Kucica, close to the town of Omis. An estimate of the burnt out area has not been made yet. The Sibenik Fire Operations Centre reports that a fire has broken out near Siritovac on the Miljevac plateau. The Drnis fire brigade has been sent to the area. Most of the fire area contains mines and efforts have been hampered as a result. Extinguishing is in progress but no estimates of the burnt out area are available. A small fire was recorded today in the settlement of Ostrovice, near the town of Benkovac. Zadar County Police Department fire units put out the blaze which burnt out about 2ha of land, including grass and 1,500 wine grape vines, said the Fire Operations Centre at the MUP headquarters in Zagreb. (Hina) mbr 081913 MET aug 98