A total of 18,152 people were evacuated from a forest fire in Xichang, Sichuan, and martyrs declaration procedures have been initiated for 19 victims.
China News Network Xichang, March 31 (Wang Peng, Liu Zhongjun, Tang Yan) The press office of the People's Government of Xichang City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, held a press conference at 17:00 on the 31st to report the situation of Xichang forest fire rescue. The reporter was informed that a total of 18,152 people had been evacuated after the fire. At present, relevant units have started the martyrs declaration process for 19 victims.
Location map of Xichang forest fire key units. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of Xichang Municipal Committee Photo by Wang Peng
At 15:51 on March 30, the forest fire prevention headquarters of Xichang received a telephone call to alert the forest fire in the direction of Ma'anshan. Li Jun, secretary of the Xichang Municipal Party Committee, introduced that as of 16:00 on the 31st, the fire had over 1,000 hectares of fire and destroyed more than 80 hectares. At present, there is no open flame on the front of Laoshan. However, due to the continuous rise in temperature in the afternoon and the increase of wind power, there are multiple smoke spots in the area and there is a risk of re-ignition. Professional fire teams and militia teams are guarding the entire line.
Xichang forest fire sacrifices firefighters' route. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of Xichang Municipal Committee Photo by Wang Peng
Talking about why the fire developed so quickly, Li Jun said that since March, Xichang has entered a dry wind season, with sunny and hot weather, and there has been no rainfall for 20 consecutive days, and the humidity is only 5% to 10%. Especially since late March, it has been hot for 4 consecutive days. The highest temperature on the 30th reached 31.2 degrees Celsius, and the wind was from 7 to 8. The starting point of the fire was initially determined as a willow stump at Daying Farm, which spread violently along the endurance, horse road, and Laoshan Houshan. Later, due to the change of wind direction, the fire spread rapidly and accompanied by multiple flying fires, causing multiple multi-line rapid burning situation.
The picture shows the press conference scene. Photo by Liu Zhongjun
Li Jun said that the situation of the forest fire was critical and different from ordinary forest fires. It is located in the Ershan National Mountain Scenic Area and has many important facilities around it, including a petroleum liquefied gas storage and distribution station with a capacity of about 250 tons, two There are gas stations, four schools and the Slave Society Museum, the state-level cultural relics protection unit Guangfu Temple, and the largest department store in Xichang.
It is reported that after the fire, more than 1,200 people were evacuated within 30 minutes in three surrounding towns and towns, and a total of 18,152 people were evacuated. In particular, 16,000 people within 3 square kilometers of the high-risk area of the petroleum liquefied gas storage and distribution station were transferred within 3 hours. Temporary resettlement sites were set up spontaneously by hotels, guesthouses, and schools.
The picture shows the briefing by Li Jun, secretary of the Xichang Municipal Party Committee. Photo by Liu Zhongjun
During the forest fire extinguishing, 19 fire extinguishers participated in the sacrifice and attracted public attention. Li Jun introduced that at 19:30 on the 30th, the professional fire-fighting team of Ningyuan Town, Ningnan County, Liangshan Prefecture received a support order from the Ningnan County Forestry Bureau to Xichang City. At 20:20 on the same day, the professional fire-fighting team was A total of 21 people from the first and fifth shifts on duty were deployed from Ningnan County to assist the Xichang Sheshan Fire Field at 22:40 and arrived at Caijiagou Reservoir, Jingjiu Township, Xichang City, where the fire site was located. Guided by a famous guide, he went uphill from Caijiagou Reservoir to the assembly site for fire fighting operations.
According to survivors, the team suddenly encountered a sudden change in wind direction at 1:20 in the morning on the 31st, killing 18 firefighters and a guide at the scene and injuring 3 firefighters. Currently, three seriously injured people are being treated in hospitals with stable vital signs. The remains of 19 victims were escorted to the funeral home in Xichang at 14:30 on the 31st.
Li Jun said that at present, Xichang City has set up a special working group in accordance with the requirements of a service group of a victim and a team of medical and psychological counseling personnel to provide a full range of services for the families of the victims. Relevant units have initiated martyrs declaration procedures for 19 sacrificed fire fighting heroes. In the next step, Xichang City will implement scientific measures, make every effort to save fire, step up investigations into the causes of fires and accidents, and fully protect the lives and property of the people.
According to Jin Decheng, a political member of the Sichuan Forest Fire Corps, after the fire, the Sichuan Forest Fire Corps dispatched a total of 260 people from Liangshan, Panzhihua Forest Fire Brigade and the Corps Training Brigade, and rushed to the front line to fight the fire overnight. At 6 o'clock on the 31st, the open fire that threatened the horse gas field LPG station was successfully extinguished, and the fire field was handed over to the local guards. The team then fought against another intermittent line of fire in the Laoshan Forest Fire—the Madao Baihuayuan Deep Ditch Fire Line to fight the mountain fire.
Liu Fude, chief of the Sichuan Fire Rescue Corps, introduced that after the fire broke out, the Sichuan Fire Rescue Corps first dispatched 12 people and 55 vehicles from 3 fire stations at Chang'an Road Fire Station, Fuli Road Fire Station, and Jiuyu Special Fire Station to Xi'an City for disposal. 174 fire trucks, 6 remote water supply systems including 14 branches of Panduhua, Panzhihua, Ya'an, Leshan, Meishan have been transferred successively, and nearly 1,000 firefighters have assisted Xichang.
According to Liu Fude, in response to the long line of fire at the scene, the points are wide, and the wind direction is changing, fire rescue workers have adopted measures of segmented guarding and key guardianship, and have been erected at 9 key protection objects in the Madao Street Office and the Scenic Spot. Water cannons and water gun positions, opening fire barriers, implementing high points or drone monitoring, and other methods to prevent the spread of fire. At present, all key monitoring places in Xichang City are no longer threatened by open flames. Fire rescue forces are still deploying at gas stations, schools, museums, and residential buildings near the fire line. During the entire rescue process, there were no casualties in the fire rescue team. (Finish)