Chinese Vice Premier Hui
Liangyu has called for more efforts to prevent forest fires and
reduce the number of casualties resulting from such disasters.
After several forest fires in north China's Hebei and Shanxi
provinces, Hui urged relevant departments across the country to
reinforce fire surveillance and improve various emergency plans to
deal with fire situations.
He said that all departments involved should draw lessons from
the fires and take more measures to ensure the safety of
firefighters, and reduce casualties and economic losses to
minimum.
China has witnessed mounting fire problems this year amid a dry
climate and high temperatures that led to less rainfall in the
northern and western part of the country.
The State Forestry Administration has sent five working teams to
supervise local forest fire prevention missions. In an emergency
notice released on Wednesday, the administration called on relative
departments at all levels to prevent the breakout of forest fires
around the upcoming Tomb-sweeping Day, which will fall on April
5.
(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2006)
