A forest fire continued to rage on Sunday in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province despite the best efforts of more than 10,000 police and firemen working to control the blaze, local forestry sources said.

Hampered by high winds, thick brush and hot and dry weather, firefighters have been unable to contain the fire at the Kanduhe Forest Farm in the Greater Hinggan Mountains.

Running north to south through the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Heilongjiang Province, the Greater Hinggan Mountains area is the largest virgin forest region in China.

Meanwhile, thousands of firefighters renewed efforts on Sunday night to put out the southeastern line of another forest fire raging in the Aihui District of Heihe City in Heilongjiang.

The fire broke out last Sunday at the Galashan Forest Farm in Nenjiang County and had spread to Aihui.

In another development, more than 3,000 firemen are still trying to put out a spreading forest fire in Yakeshi City in neighboring Inner Mongolia.

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2006)