Firefighting must be modernized to reduce death toll

Editor's note: By 6:30 pm on Monday, the bodies of the 27 firefighters and three local residents - with whom contact had been lost since Sunday afternoon during a forest fire in Muli county in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province - had been found, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. China Daily reporter Li Yang comments:

The tragedy instantly brought back memories of the explosion in Tianjin Port on Aug 12, 2015, which claimed 165 lives, among whom 99 were firemen.

The ministry said the 30 people were killed when the wind direction changed abruptly and strong winds fanned the flames, causing "explosive burning" of large patches of the forest.