6 Die Fighting Forest Fire in China
March 2, 2008
Six people have reportedly been killed fighting a forest fire in China, one of more than 200 reported in China during a two-day period.
The fire broke out Saturday in the village of Xitai in Hunan Province, Xinhua reported. The blaze had trapped scores of people, the state-run news agency said.
The region was under a high fire alert because of dry conditions and winter storms that knocked over many trees, said Hu Changqing, vice head of the Hunan Forestry Department.
There also have been illegal fires set in the woods, he said.