CHENGDU, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A total of 3,396 residents had been evacuated due to safety concerns as of 8 p.m. Sunday after a forest fire broke out in southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the emergency response headquarters under the provincial public security department.
The fire erupted in Baizi Village, Yajiang County of the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze, at around 5 p.m. on Friday. Due to sudden increases in wind speed, it rapidly spread to other areas, said the headquarters of forest and grassland fire prevention and control in Garze.
In the nearby Jiaonibao Village, the fire has turned less fierce, although heavy smoke remains visible. Twenty-one houses in the village were burned, and about 70 villagers had been relocated.
Eight helicopters have been deployed to put out the blaze. Over 1,900 individuals have been dispatched to combat the forest fire, and an additional 890 are rushing to the site, according to Kang Bin, head of the emergency management bureau of Garze.
So far, no casualties have been reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. ■
