Forest fire keeps raging in southwest China

Firefighters work to extinguishforest fire atYulong County, southwest CHINA's Yunnan province, Mar.17, 2019. (Xinhua/Deng Jianxin)

Southwest CHINA's Yunnan province has engaged aircraft and fire control troops to curb a forest fire that has lasted for almost two days.

The forest fire department in the city of Lijiang said Monday that areas gutted by the fire since Saturday covered eight hectares in Yulong County, where the famed Jade Dragon Snow Mountain sits.

Currently, more than 780 fire fighters and six helicopters are in the frontline to extinguish the scattering fires located 3,000 meters above sea level.

The scarcely-populated mountainous areas are prone to forest fires in dry spring season. Local forest police, however, are investigating the cause of the fire.