As of Sunday evening more than 4,000 people had been mobilized to fight a forest fire near the city of Anning in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
 
According to a source with the local government, the fire started at around 4:30 PM on Wednesday in Longshan Forest, which is close to the province capital of Kunming.

The fire was brought under control but strong winds on Thursday afternoon caused it to break out again and 6,000 mu (400 hectares) of forest were destroyed. 

Three firemen were injured as they fought the blaze, which had a 10-kilometer 'front' and affected the lives of 51 households. These people have been relocated by the local government.

A team from the State Forestry Administration arrived at Anning on Sunday to assist organizing the fire fighting work.

Also on Sunday the administration announced that fire fighters had put out forest fires that broke out last Wednesday at three spots in north China's Shanxi Province.

Fire fighters are keeping a close watch on the sites in the counties of Wutai and Dingxiang and an area bordering Anze and Qinyuan counties to ensure no new fires break out, said Cao Qingyao, the administration's spokesperson.

The extent of the damage and economic losses caused by the fires were not yet available, Cao said.

A short in a high tension power line started the blaze in Wutai County while the cause of the other two fires was still under investigation, said Cao.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2006)