China is currently facing wildfires in several regions, with a forest fire erupting in Yajiang, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on Friday.
Although no casualties have been reported thus far, media sources on Sunday disclosed that four individuals had perished in two separate forest fires in Sichuan.
Experts have underscored the close correlation between the recent surge in wildfires and the climate conditions prevalent in the southwestern region of the country.
With reduced precipitation and increasing temperatures, there is a pressing need to heighten awareness regarding the heightened risk of forest fires in the foreseeable future.
On Friday, around 5 p.m., a forest fire broke out near Baizi village in Yajiang county. By Saturday around 2:30 p.m., strong gusts reignited the eastern front of the blaze, causing it to rapidly spread across multiple mountain ridges, as reported by the Xinhua News Agency.
China’s response to the forest fire involved activating a Level-IV emergency response and assembling a specialized working group from various departments to supervise firefighting endeavours, as reported by China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday.
Presently, a combined force of 1,259 individuals from the national comprehensive fire rescue team and local professional firefighting teams is actively involved in firefighting operations.
Additionally, five helicopters have been mobilized to carry out aerial firefighting missions.
Moreover, the local forest fire brigade has dispatched 831 personnel and three helicopters as immediate reinforcements. Another 750 personnel have been urgently deployed from Southwest China’s Yunnan Province to offer further assistance.
A total of 3,396 individuals from 11 affected villages have been evacuated. As of 10 a.m. on Sunday, local authorities have reported no casualties, and investigations into the cause of the forest fire are ongoing.
“The smoke from the fire was extensive, covering the sky, so initially, I mistook it for a sandstorm,” a tourist currently in Sichuan informed the Global Times on Sunday.
“I witness numerous firefighting trucks rushing along the highway towards the affected area,” He added.
“I saw a small flame quickly spreading to the entire mountain in less than a minute. The strong wind at the scene exacerbated the spread of the fire,” stated another person in the local area, the Global Times learnt.
In recent times, the southwest region of the country has experienced numerous wildfires. On Sunday, local authorities in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province confirmed that four individuals lost their lives in two distinct forest fires.
CCTV News reported that a forest fire erupted in Yunnan’s Lincang around 6:10 p.m. on Saturday and was successfully extinguished by 11:05 p.m.
The fire engulfed approximately 5.33 hectares of land, and tragically, three local officials perished during the firefighting efforts.
Xinhua reported that another individual lost their life in a forest fire that erupted in the city of Wenshan, Yunnan, on Friday, as per the municipal publicity department.
“These wildfires in the southwest region can be attributed to local climate conditions.
“Since the beginning of this year, there has been an abundance of precipitation in the central and eastern regions of the country while the southwest region has experienced relatively scarce rainfall,” explained Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, speaking to the Global Times on Sunday.
Ma also said that increases in temperatures and stronger winds may further exacerbate wildfires, causing them to spread continuously and making them more challenging to control.
Media reports indicate that a total of 221 forest fires, including 11 mountain fires that claimed two lives, occurred in southwest China’s Guizhou Province between February 10 and 21. As of February 22, all of these fires have been extinguished.
The Ministry of Emergency Management in China issued a warning on March 1, regarding the heightened risk of natural disasters in March, specifically emphasizing the threat of forest fires. Provinces such as Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan are facing significant levels of risk in this regard, as highlighted by the ministry.
Analysts have underscored the importance of paying close attention to the recent surge in wildfire risk, particularly in areas experiencing low precipitation.
This concern is amplified as the Qingming Festival approaches, bringing with it an expected increase in gatherings for tomb-cleaning activities.
As such, the risk of wildfires remains elevated during this period.
According to Ma, the conjunction of drought conditions and elevated temperatures can heighten the risk of wildfires, particularly in regions like Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, where prolonged droughts have been observed.
Experts have emphasized the necessity of maintaining vigilance in areas with increased precipitation levels, especially with the onset of spring and the subsequent transition to drier weather accompanied by rising temperatures.
Ma cautioned that once a forest fire ignites, controlling it becomes considerably challenging, underscoring the importance of implementing effective fire prevention measures in forested areas.
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