Attempts to make artificial rain were made Friday night to control forest fires that have raged at the Greater Hinggan Mountains in northeast China for several days, local forestry sources said.

Favorable weather including low temperatures and mild wind made for good conditions for making artificial rain at the fire-hit forest areas, said the sources.

Nearly 10,000 fire fighters and forest rangers are fighting against the fires that broke out last Sunday at Galashan Forest Farm of Heihe City and at Kanduhe Forest Farm at the Greater Hinggan Mountains.

By Thursday noon, the fire-hit area of the Galashan farm was about 120 square kilometers, and 20 square kilometers of the Kanduhe farm was burned, according to the forest fire prevention headquarters of Heilongjiang Province.

More than 140 residents in Beijiang Town of Huma County and the Galashan farm have been evacuated from the area, but no injuries were reported, according to the headquarters.

By 8:00 PM Friday, the fire of Huma County has been brought under control, but the fires at the Kanduhe farm were still raging, it said.

If the artificial rainfall is successful the fire at the Kanduhe farm is likely to be controlled, said fire fighters.

Another 2,300 fire fighters are still working to control a forest fire at Yakeshi City of neighboring Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fire burned an area of 30 square kilometers.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2006)