China News Service, Chengdu, March 17 (Reporter Liu Zhongjun) The reporter learned from the Sichuan Forest Fire Corps, Ganzi Prefecture Emergency Management Bureau and other departments on the 17th that as of 2 a.m. on the 17th, 1,259 people had been deployed to fight the Yajiang forest fire. There are 775 reinforcements on the way, and 8 helicopters are performing aerial rescue missions. They are going all out to carry out rescue work, and there are no casualties.
Militiamen are helping to set up temporary tents.
Photo by Gan Liwei
At about 17:00 on March 15, a forest fire broke out in Baizi Village, Dala Town, Yajiang County, Garze Prefecture, Sichuan Province. As of about 15:00 on the 16th, due to a sudden increase in wind at the fire site, the fire quickly expanded and spread.
At about 14:00 on March 16, strong winds broke out at the fire site. The northern and eastern lines of the fire that had been controlled in the early stage rekindled open flames and spread rapidly to the northeast with flying fires.
After receiving the report, the Emergency Management Department required rapid response, decisive decision-making, and scientific, efficient and safe organization of firefighting, with special emphasis on ensuring the safety of firefighting personnel and the people.
At the same time, the surrounding people should be relocated in a timely manner, weather conditions should be closely monitored and judged, fire monitoring and survey should be carried out, and scientific and efficient command should be carried out to ensure the safety of firefighting.
The National Forestry Prevention and Control Office has launched a Level IV emergency response and sent a working group composed of the Ministry of Emergency Management, the National Fire and Rescue Bureau, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration to the scene to coordinate and guide the fire fighting work.
Militiamen helped set up makeshift tents.
Photo by Gan Liwei
After the fire broke out, the Sichuan Provincial Military Region, the Ministry of Human Resources and Armed Forces of Yajiang County, and the Garze Prefecture Emergency Management Bureau quickly launched emergency response, dispatched Yajiang County as soon as possible, and sent a working group to the scene to guide the disposal.
Officers, soldiers and militiamen rushed to the fire scene upon hearing the order to assist the firefighting forces in carrying out fire-fighting work.
In the face of the renewed fire, the Yajiang militiamen made every effort to carry out personnel evacuation, traffic diversion, material transportation, tent erection and other work.
As of 1:30 on the 17th, due to strong winds and uncertain wind directions at the fire scene, the fire spread in multiple directions and three main fire scenes had been formed.
All 3,396 people in 837 households in 11 villages and 1 community affected by the fire have been safely evacuated, and there are no casualties yet.
Panzhihua forest firefighting personnel have rushed to Yajiang for reinforcements.
Photo courtesy of Sichuan Forest Firefighting
In the early morning of March 17, 150 firefighters from the Panzhihua City Forest Fire Detachment used motorized maneuvers and set off for Yajiang County for reinforcements.
Currently, 1,259 people including the National Comprehensive Fire Rescue Team and the local professional fire-fighting team are working hard to put out the fire. Five helicopters from the Southern Forestry Station of the Ministry of Emergency Management are carrying out fire-fighting operations at the scene.
831 people from the Sichuan Forest Fire Corps and 3 helicopters are providing emergency reinforcements.
At the same time, the National Fire and Rescue Bureau urgently dispatched 750 reinforcements from the Yunnan Forest Fire Corps.
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