SOUTHERN CROATIA RECORDS 155 FIRES SINCE AUGUST 5

( Editorial: --> 3064 ) DUBROVNIK, Aug 11 (Hina) - A total of 155 fires have been recorded in Croatia's four southernmost counties during the past week, the head of the Croatian Government's Crisis Committee said in Dubrovnik on Tuesday. These fires were recorded in the Zadar, Sibenik-Knin, Split- Dalmatia and Dubrovnik-Neretva Counties since August 5. During a press conference held by the Committee, which was established last Thursday following the start of the disastrous fires, Croatia's chief fire commander Mladen Jurin said that the blazes most probably would be reignited occasionally and as a result forces controlling fire affected areas had to be strengthened. Dubrovnik-Neretva County Police Department chief Eduard Cengija said fires had burnt 1,250 hectares of pine forest and dense underbrush on the island of Korcula, and 1,150ha on Lastovo. Currently about 700 firefighters are on Korcula and 300 on Lastovo. A dozen firefighters are controlling occasional outbreaks on the St Elias hill overlooking Orebic on the Peljesac peninsula, while 90 are on the Snjeznica mountain in the Konavle municipality just south of Dubrovnik. (Hina) mbr 111549 MET aug 98