China's Ministry of Agriculture has urged local governments to
step up preparations to combat potential grassland fires.
Zhang Baowen, vice minister and the director of the grassland
fire prevention headquarters, told officials to take lessons from
the forest fires that ravaged parts of Greece in August and urged
fire prevention departments to strengthen fire supervision and
eliminate hidden dangers.
As the grass turns yellow in autumn's windy weather and drought
attacks north China's Inner Mongolia, northeast and northwest
China, the grasslands become increasingly vulnerable to fire.
The unfavorable weather and the increase of inflammable dry
grass all make our work more difficult, said Zhang, blaming a lack
of funds.
(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2007)