Guizhou Province forestry authorities revealed
that a forest fire, beginning on Saturday, had been put out in the
early hours of Sunday with no reported casualties.
Occurring at 3 PM in Loushanguan Town of Tongzi County, the
blaze burnt more than 40 hectares of forests. Investigation shows
that the fire was ignited by the burning straws of an octagenarian
villager.
She burned the straws before cultivating farmland that was
deserted two years ago, hoping to grow more crops as severe drought
last summer had greatly reduced her grain output.
(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2006)