China reported 550 forest fires and fire alarms in September and October, up 116.5 percent over the same period last year, according to statistics from the State Forestry Administration (SFA).

November also saw no ease in forest fires, as the supervision satellite detected frequent forest blazes in Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces.

Officials with SFA said the fires were mainly attributed to grass burning by farmers for cultivating wasteland. Some places also lacked strict control over fire sources and immediate prevention and fighting measures.

The SFA has recently circulated an emergency notice, urging all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities to enforce prohibitions on starting fires.

Forestry departments at various levels were also urged to cooperate with local disciplinary inspection and supervision sectors to find the people who lit the fires.

Government officials and leaders who delayed fire prevention efforts due to negligence or dereliction of their duties would be severely punished.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2003)