The statistical data on fires show that most of the fires that happened in Moldova in the first half of this year occurred as a result of deviations from the fire prevention norms and rules of using fire in open air, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the Civil Protection and Emergencies Service. The Service’s spokeswoman Liliana Puscasu has told the agency that 999 fires happened in Moldova in the first half of 2008, by 5.5 fires on average a day. The largest part of the fires – 749 – occurred in the housing sector, while 12 fires in the agricultural sector. Sixteen of the total number of fires were large fires, while two – extremely large fires. The fires killed 110 persons including 6 children, four of whom in June, and injured 31 persons. A number of 563 people were saved from fire. The firefighters say that most often the fires are caused by open fire from lighters, matches, candles, cooking equipment, open fire in improvised fireplaces and stoves or as a result of burning household and vegetal waste. The smokers’ negligence is the leading cause of fires (208 cases), followed by the non-observance of the general anti-fire rules when using stoves and chimneys (134 cases), careless use of open fire (104 cases) and deliberate acts (79 cases). The children playing with the fire caused 61 fires. In 131 cases, the fires destroyed the dry vegetation, fodder and garbage stored in special places. Lightning strikes caused six fires and the inflammable substances another six fires. The flames destroyed completely 34 constructions and 21 units of transport. The firefighters warn that the plants and combustible materials in summer get drier and the vapors and inflammable gases in containers grow in volume. As a result, they can rapidly catch fire from different sources or spread fire at a high speed. As the outlook for this summer is very hot, the firefighters say that the people should not burn the vegetal waste, stubble, rubbish and other combustible materials when it is hot and the wind is strong, not let the children use lighting equipment, not use open fire at a distance larger than 40 meters of the places where there is a danger of explosion and 10 meters of the location of combustible materials and substances. At the same time, the firefighters recommend the persons holding responsible posts that take part in the harvesting campaign to take organizational, technical-material and instructive-educative measures so as to reduce the risks of fire and prevent unpleasant incidents during reaping, transportation and storing of cereals.