China puts out forest fire in northeast mountains

BEIJING, May 2 (Reuters) A forest fire in a remote border region of northeast China has been brought under control after blazing across some 15 square kilometres, Xinhua news agency reported today.

China sent thousands of firefighters to battle the blaze in the Great Xingan Mountains, near the Russian border in Heilongjiang province, after the alarm was sounded on Monday.

The fire was extinguished in the early hours today morning, Xinhua said, adding that firefighters were still stationed in the area due to fears that strong winds could reignite the smoulder.

In 1987, a fire in the heavily forested mountain range killed at least 200 people and destroyed some 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of timberland in three weeks, in China's worst blaze in decades.

REUTERS SYU ND1018