FIRE ON HVAR IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONTROL

STARI GRAD, July 30 (Hina) - After a three-day battle with a fire which on the Croatian island of Hvar burned down almost 3,000 hectares of pine wood, vineyards and lavender, the head of the Split police department, Marko Bekavac, on Wednesday said that the fire has by 1 pm in great part been put out. The fire was under control, Bekavac told reporters, but added that the wind was causing new concern. It could not be said with certainty whether the fire on Hvar would therefore be put out completely, he added. Croatian Development and Reconstruction Minister Jure Radic visited the island and the area around Stari Grad in the morning. Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa is to make a visit in the afternoon. More than a thousand firemen from all over Croatia are on the site. (hina) ha mm 301500 MET jul 97