The fire that scorched more than 33.3 hectares of forest in southwest China's Yunnan Province was under control on Thursday, fire fighters said.

The fire broke out at around 4 p.m. Wednesday in Haikou Township of Xishan District in Kunming, the provincial capital.

An initial investigation showed that cigarette butts thrown by people from vehicles on the road ignited fallen leaves and caused the blaze.

Forestry police officer Sun Shumin said about 700 people, including forestry police, firemen, government staff and villagers, had been dispatched to put out the fire.

Xinhua reporters saw flames up to 10 meters high at the scene at midnight.

"However, fighters took the advantage of weak breeze and cooling weather to put out the fire at about 4 a.m.," Sun said.

Some 200 people were still monitoring the site to prevent the blaze recurring.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2009)