Chinese Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu called for enhanced efforts to prevent and fight forest fires Thursday.

It is a long-term and difficult task to prevent forest fires, and it is highly necessary for China to enhance the ability to prevent and extinguish fires to protect people's lives and property in forest areas, said the vice premier at a plenary meeting of the national forest fire prevention headquarters.

China still faces serious forest fire hazards, Hui said. "We should stay highly alerted on this matter and never underestimate the possibility of major forest fires," he said.

Three major forest fires that raged in north and northeast China for over 11 days were extinguished despite unfavorable weather conditions earlier this month.

No fatalities have been reported, and the local authorities are surveying the number of homes affected and the area of burnt forest.

The affected regions, which extend deep into China's largest virgin forest in the Greater Khingan Ranges, have suffered from extremely arid weather since May.

Hui stressed that fire prevention needs coordinated work by governments, related departments and the people.

He called for accelerating construction of infrastructure, roads in forest areas, fire insulation zones and an early warning system.

The fireman should establish a round-the-clock, full-range and quick response system of fire fighting, Hui said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2006)