Hundreds battling forest fire in Southwest China

CHENGDU -- About 600 people including villagers and fire fighters are battling a wild fire in Southwest China's Sichuan province, local authorities said Sunday.

The provincial emergency management department said the forest fire erupted on Saturday morning in a remote mountainous area in the Muli county of the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture.

The blaze, whose burnt area is yet to be determined, was caused by a lightning strike, officials said.

The provincial forest fire brigade said 100 professional fire fighters are also heading to the site of the fire.