China sees fewer forest fires in first three quarters

BEIJING - Fewer forest fires hit China in the first nine months of this year, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

A total of 961 forest fires, including seven major ones, broke out in China from January to September, down 45.1 percent year on year, the ministry said.

The fires covered 6,542 hectares of forest, down 38.8 percent year on year. More than half of the forest fires occurred in March and April.

Lightning-caused fires accounted for 17.2 percent of the total, while the use of fire for farming accounted for 31 percent in the first nine months, the ministry said.