A forest fire that has been raging for more than eight days in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has engulfed 150 square kilometers of forest, local forestry sources said on Monday.

 

The fire broke out at the Galashan Forest Farm in Nenjiang County, Heihe City, on May 21 as a result of lightning and, within days, had spread to the city.

 

According to fire control headquarters in Heihe, it took more than 5,000 firefighters, including police officers, days to put out the western and southwestern lines of the fire.

 

A source with the headquarters said they were dispatching a further 1,500 to 2,000 firefighters to the eastern line of the fire and hoped to have it under control in three to five days.

 

35 police officers have so far been injured and sent to Beijing for medical treatment.

 

High winds, thick brush and hot and dry weather have made it more difficult to contain the blaze.

 

In another development, more than 10,000 firefighters are struggling to control a fire at the Kanduhe Forest Farm in the country's largest virgin forest in the Greater Hinggan Mountains.

 

Meanwhile, two forest fires at Xirite Banner and Hexi Forest Farm in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were brought under control on Monday. No casualties have been reported.

 

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered local authorities to take forceful, effective measures to deal with the forest fires.

 

The two leaders on Sunday also called for improved leadership, unified command, scientific management in the current firefighting with the spirit of defying fatigue, while paying close attention to the safety of rescuers and local residents.

 

 (Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2006)