Smoke rises from the forest fire high in the mountains of western China's Sichuan province. Photo: APFirefighters have contained a blaze high in the rugged forested mountains of western China that claimed the lives of 30 colleagues, in one of the worst disasters for the emergency services in recent years. The bodies of the dead firefighters were transported to the town of Xichang in Sichuan province, where residents presented flowers as a sign of mourning and respect. "Among all scenarios in a fire, an explosive blaze is the most dangerous, and also very rarely seen," Xie said. China has been battling forest fires in recent weeks in various parts of the vast country, including on the outskirts of Beijing, fed by dry weather and high winds across many northern areas.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 02, 2019 21:11 UTC