Rainmaking rockets fired to tame forest fire in north China
Rainmaking rockets fired to tame forest fire in north China
17 April 2011
published by news.xinhuanet.com
China — Fire-fighting authorities in north China on Sunday ordered the firing of rainmaking rockets in an effort to put out a forest fire that has been raging for five days.
The municipal government of Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, said about 129 rainmaking rockets, loaded with dry ice or silver iodide, were launched from the city’s seven cloud-seeding stations early Sunday morning as a drizzle started.
A local weather forecast official said the cloud-seeding has increased the rainfall.
The fire was put out at 5 p.m. Sunday, the authorities said.
It first broke out in Qinhuangdao’s Funing County and Qinglong County Tuesday noon, with over 7,000 mu (466.66 hectares) of forest burnt as of Wednesday noon. Dry and windy weather has hampered the fire-fighting efforts.
Thousands of police, soldiers, and firemen have been mobilized. No casualties have been reported.
