Another 1,000 firefighters were sent May 22 to reinforce the 5,300-strong force already combating a forest fire in the Dahinggan Mountains in the northeast area of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The blaze, in the middle and western areas of the mountains, was sparked on May 21 by a Mongolian grass fire that spread across the border with China to the forest under the administration of the Bailang forest bureau, according to the local government.
Strong winds, high temperatures, a long fire front and furious flames have made the battle difficult.
Fire alarms have been frequent and several forest fires have broken out during the last month in the mountains.
(People?s Daily May 24, 2003)
