ZAGREB, Aug 21 (Hina) - In the period between 1 July and 15 August, there were 832 fires along the coast, including 165 bigger and 13 major fires, it was stated at a session of the Croatian government on Thursday, at which measures
aimed at improving the fire prevention system were adopted.
ZAGREB, Aug 21 (Hina) - In the period between 1 July and 15 August,
there were 832 fires along the coast, including 165 bigger and 13
major fires, it was stated at a session of the Croatian government
on Thursday, at which measures aimed at improving the fire
prevention system were adopted. #L#
The fire prevention system has a number of shortcomings, it is
fragmented and levels of responsibility are not completely
defined, which is why it must be redefined, Interior Minister Sime
Lucin said.
The government therefore suggested that a law on protection and
rescue be adopted as the basis for passing laws on firefighting and
civil protection and changes to the law on fire protection,
especially with regard to its regulations on persons causing
fires.
Lucin says the laws will enable the establishment of a single
administration for protection and rescue, which would co-ordinate
the activities of competent state and local bodies.
This does not mean that the fire prevention system would be
centralised, it was said at the session.
In case of grave situations a local community cannot cope with,
there must be a clear chain of command and responsibility at all
levels, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said.
The chief firefighters' marshal, Mladen Jurin, warned about
problems with fighting fires in some local communities, e.g. the
island of Hvar, where it was impossible to organise teams which
would control fire sites.
Citing opposite examples, he mentioned Makarska, where local
firefighters called for assistance in only one of 24 fires, as well
as Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties, which he said had
well-organised professional firefighting brigades.
Jurin further said that one or more firefighting units with a firm
professional core should be established on Dalmatian islands.
The large number of fires this year was caused by long droughts and
low humidity and more than 75 percent of fires were caused by
negligence, while only 2.7 percent were set intentionally.
There can be no talk of organised subversive or some other
activities against Croatia, Lucin said.
In the fires which broke out in the last month and a half, one
firefighter was killed, but there were no civilian casualties and
the fires did not reach urban settlements nor was there any need for
evacuation.
In the first seven months of this year, 20 people were killed and 54
were injured in fires.
There were 732 open fires in July, which is 55.7 percent more than in
the same month last year. The area consumed by the fires is twice as
large as the area consumed by last July's fires (more than 6,000
hectares).
There was a total of 6,995 fires in the first seven months of this
year, of which 4,710 were open fires, an increase of 15 percent.
However, the area consumed by fire was by 42.3 percent smaller than
in the same period last year.
Government members say that the fire prevention season is still not
over and recommend planting olive trees and vines to help revive
fire-affected areas.
The government has agreed about the need to launch a project of
renewing firefighting equipment, and Defence Minister Zeljka
Antunovic has said that there will be a sufficient number of
professionals to operate firefighting planes next year.
(hina) rml