Forest fire continues in NE. China with more artificial rainfall planned
Forest fire continues in NE. China with more artificial rainfall planned
6 October 2005
published by english.eastday.com
CHINA — Forest guards and meteorologists planned to dispatch aircraft to make more artificial rainfall to put out a forest fire in China’s northeast border area, local firefighters saidWednesday.
The fire is located at the Shuanghe forest in Nenjiang County of Heihe City, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, the provincial forest fire control headquarterssaid.
Earlier reports said that 57 cannonballs were shot to make rainfall on the fire-ravaged area on Tuesdayevening.
A total of five fires devoured approximately 660 hectares of forests over the past few days in Heihe City, with no casualties reported. Lasting drought in the whole fall contributed to thefires.
Nearly 2,000 firefighters, including more than 1,000 forest guards and officers, and five helicopters have been dispatched to extinguish thefires.
Cause of the fires have been initially ascertained, according to the local forest fire controlheadquarters.
At the end of September, farmer Dong Zhenkui at Woduhe Village in Duobaoshan Town of Nenjiang County, asked Li Youcai, a migrant worker Dong hired, to burn wheat straws forhim.
The burned straws ignited the wormwood at the nearby ditches and ponds, and then the firespread.
Firefighting is now continuing.
