Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Monday urged local authorities
to improve forest fire prevention after a series of mountain fires
in southern China.
Drought-stricken southern China has seen frequent forest fires
recently amid arid weather and inadequate rainfall, Hui said,
urging local governments to enhance efforts to prevent serious fire
incidents.
State fire-fighting headquarters has sent working groups to
fire-prone areas to supervise prevention work and urged local
authorities to set up contingency plans.
Hui said more public awareness of forest fire prevention was
needed in order to improve the early warning system.
A forest fire broke out in central Hunan Province on Feb. 3,
killing seven people.
(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2007)