China's State Forestry Administration (SFA) issued an emergency notice on Sunday, urging local authorities to beef up efforts for forest fire prevention during the dry winter.

Most parts of the country have experienced increasing windy weather and decreased rainfall this winter, while some regions were suffering from a severe drought, which were prone to forest fire, the SFA said.

According to China Meteorological Administration, rainfall in northern China and areas along the Yellow River and Huaihe River was 70 to 90 percent down from the average winter level, causing a severe drought in these regions.

The SFA ordered local forest authorities to enhance monitoring the situation and take effective measures to tackle hidden risks.

(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2009)