Forest fires that devoured approximately 660 hectares of forests over the past few days in northeast China had been put out by Friday night, according to firefighters.

 

Officials from Heilongjiang Provincial Forest Fire Control Headquarters said that satellite footage and inspections by air and firefighters on the ground confirmed the fires were completely extinguished in Heihe City.

 

No casualties have been reported so far, officials said.

 

Preliminary investigations indicated the fires were started on Tuesday by a migrant farmer surnamed Li who was illegally smoking in a field and accidentally ignited a haystack. The suspect has been detained.

 

According to officials, because the forests in north Heilongjiang have suffered drought since this summer, the area has been hit by fires in July and August.

 

This fire, aided by drought and a southeasterly wind, spread to forests nearby.

 

Three thousand forest police and local firefighters are monitoring and clearing areas hit by the fires.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2005)