Firefighters were sent to quench a forest fire that had been
brought under control but resurged due to strong wind on Saturday
afternoon in Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province.
The fire flared up at 2 PM Saturday when it blew heavily with
the flame in some areas more than 10 meters high. The firefighters
have then put out most of the fire, and were quenching in two sites
measuring more than 3 hectares each, according to He Zixing, party
secretary of Lijiang City on Saturday.
The fire, which broke out at Cimeige of Yulong County, around 6
PM on Wednesday, has not posed a threat to or influence on the
famous snow-clad Yulong Mountain scenery some 20 km away.
Affected forest area extends 133 ha, with primarily regrown
forests and some primitive forests being destroyed, said an
official from the fire fighting headquarters.
More than 2,000 personnel, including those from the military and
the armed police, plus one helicopter and about 100 tanker trucks
have been sent to quench the fire.
Cause of the fire was unknown by press time.
(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2006)