The forest fire that ravaged the Mianduhe area of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has been extinguished, local fire fighting headquarters confirmed on Friday afternoon.

 

The fire started after lightning struck the Mianduhe forest in Yakeshi City on May 25. It was quenched at around 8:00 PM of Thursday.

 

A total of 9,869 forest workers, armed policemen and soldiers joined the fire fighting. Artificial rainfall added to the last efforts, the headquarters said.

 

In related developments, a forest fire in the Kanduhe Forest Farm and another in Galashan area in the neighboring Heilongjiang Province have also been put out.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 2, 2006)