A fierce fire is still burning in the forests of northeast China's Greater Khingan Mountains, although its northern and southern fronts are now under control, Xinhua News Agency and local media reported.
More than 10,000 professional fire-fighters were sent to control the blaze last week. Leaders from the State Forestry Administration and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government were also on site to deal with any emergencies.
Thirty-nine helicopters and 53 tons of fire-fighting chemicals have been used so far to combat the blaze.
Reports said fire-fighters had stamped out flames on the northern and southern sides of the forest fire by midday Friday, but the blaze to the east and west was still out of control. Fire-fighters have cleared land to stop the spread of the fire.
Local villagers were evacuated to safety after the fire broke out and were supplied with food and clothes by government departments.
Beijing-based Beijing Youth Daily reported on Saturday that the fire initially broke out at a residential courtyard in the Jinhe forest administrative bureau of the autonomous region on May 5 and quickly spread southeastward to a nearby forest.
Local government sources said the region is at high risk of fire this year because of strong winds and a drought that has persisted since winter.
There were no reports of injuries so far.
(China Daily May 12, 2003)
