Bush Fires Cause Heavy Casualties in China

China has seen more than 620 bush fires around the country since the beginning of the year and has suffered heavy casualties, the State Forestry Administration (SFA) said on March 30

But SFA did not disclose the exact number of casualties. Recently, many major bush fires have broken out in southern China, including Hubei, Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang and Guizhou provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as Shaanxi province in northwest China.

The sudden surge of temperature and strong winds in this spring, combined with farmers burning off shrubs and weeds, have caused frequent bush fires.

Forest areas in northeast China and Inner Mongolia have entered a high fire risk period.

SFA has urged all localities to give top priority to preventing bush fire. It forbids local authorities from sending school children, women, the elderly to fight against bush fires. SFA had sent out a stern warning that local officials who delayed report of fire would be reprimanded.

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