Over 2,600 dispatched to fight forest fire in Tibet

LHASA -- More than 2,600 people have been sent to put out a forest fire that started four days ago in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, local authorities said Friday.

The fire, which started at around 3:35 pm in Nyexi Village in the city of Nyingchi on Tuesday, has spread over more than 7 square km.

Complicated terrain, steep slopes and strong winds have made the fire fighting work extremely challenging, according to the local fire department.