A fire official was killed Monday when fighting a forest fire that extended for 10 kilometers in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The fire started at around 1:30 p.m. in Sanjia Village, Jinning County, 60 km from Kunming City, the provincial capital. It spread over more than 130 hectares as of 8 p.m. and was not expected to be extinguished until later Monday night, according to a spokesman of Jinning County.

Fire fighters said the Forest Fire Prevention director of Jinning County was killed when he was commanding the fire fighting operation. His name was not immediately available.

Hundreds of police and officials were fighting the fire about five kilometers from the village. No other casualties have been reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2009)