A forest fire that has been raging for more than eight days in
northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has engulfed 150 square
kilometers of forest, local forestry sources said on Monday.
The fire broke out at the Galashan Forest Farm in Nenjiang
County, Heihe City, on May 21 as a result of lightning and, within
days, had spread to the city.
According to fire control headquarters in Heihe, it took more
than 5,000 firefighters, including police officers, days to put out
the western and southwestern lines of the fire.
A source with the headquarters said they were dispatching a
further 1,500 to 2,000 firefighters to the eastern line of the fire
and hoped to have it under control in three to five days.
35 police officers have so far been injured and sent to Beijing
for medical treatment.
High winds, thick brush and hot and dry weather have made it
more difficult to contain the blaze.
In another development, more than 10,000 firefighters are
struggling to control a fire at the Kanduhe Forest Farm in the
country's largest virgin forest in the Greater Hinggan
Mountains.
Meanwhile, two forest fires at Xirite Banner and Hexi Forest
Farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were brought
under control on Monday. No casualties have been reported.
President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered local authorities to
take forceful, effective measures to deal with the forest
fires.
The two leaders on Sunday also called for improved leadership,
unified command, scientific management in the current firefighting
with the spirit of defying fatigue, while paying close attention to
the safety of rescuers and local residents.
(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2006)