Each family of the 12 people who were killed fighting a forest fire in southwest China's Yunnan Province will receive 225,000 yuan (about 32,942 U.S.dollars) in compensation for each lost life, said a local government official Tuesday.

Rescuers Sunday found the bodies of 12 people who had gone missing while helping to put out the fire, said the provincial fire department.

Wan Yong, deputy commander of the Yunnan Forest Fire Headquarters, said the dead were all villagers from Cuiyu Township, Lijiang City, who helped fight the fire after it started Saturday afternoon.

They were reported missing Sunday when the fire was put out, Wan said.

They were inexperienced in fighting fires, and the blaze was fanned by strong winds, he said.