ISLAND FIRES CONTAINED BUT SMOULDERING COUNTY REMAINS ON ALERT

( Editorial: --> 3015 ) ZAGREB, Aug 11 (Hina) - Latest reports on the fires in Croatia's southern Dubrovnik-Neretva County indicate the situation has been mostly stabilised on the islands of Korcula and Lastovo. But the re-emergence of smouldering outbreaks on the mainland and some new smaller fires on Lastovo has kept firefighters on alert. In their report on the fire situation as at 10am on Tuesday, the Croatian Interior Ministry and the Croatian Government's Crisis Committee said the fire on Korcula that had been re-activated overnight and spread over the highway between Brna and Smokvica was now under control. A new blaze that erupted early this morning in the Grahova bay area covered an area 50m by 150m and was about 500m from the old fire scene. But it is now also under control, the report said. A Canadair fire fighting plane and a helicopter are taking part in the extinguishing efforts on Korcula, involving about 700 people are working in shifts and 30 or so fire vehicles. The fire has so far burnt about 1,250 hectares of pine forest, grassland and thick underbrush on the island. Some new small open fires have erupted on the eastern side of Lastovo in the Njizno polje and Duboko polje areas and on the western area of Bucen Dolac. Other fire scenes in Lastovo are reported to be quiet. Taking part in operations on the island are about 300 firefighters, 10 fire vehicles and one fire fighting helicopter. About 1,150 hectares of thick underbrush and pine forest has been burnt. Smoke is occasionally emerging on burnt out areas on the St Elias hill behind Orebic on the Peljesac peninsula. Fires remain under control and are being extinguished by 10 firefighters. Occasional open fires are erupting on the Snjeznica mountain in the Konavle area and easily spreading towards the north-east. About 90 firefighters are keeping the blaze under control. Overall about 1,500 people are engaged in mopping up and controlling all fire scenes in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, including professional and volunteer firefighters, special police and members of specialist civil defence units from across Croatia, as well as Croatian Army troops and many local residents. Fire protection support from the air has been engaged on Korcula and Lastovo since early this morning. Also established was an air bridge between Dubrovnik and Korcula in which new firefighters and civil defence members were taken to the fire scenes. Meanwhile, the fire in Zagradje near Zrnovnica in the Split region has been localised and the area is being mopped up. About 85ha of dense pine forest has been burnt in the area and 110 firefighters are involved in operations, the report said. (Hina) mbr 111247 MET aug 98