China issues highest alert for forest fires

BEIJING -- China's forest and grassland fire-control command office on Thursday issued a red alert, the highest-level warning, for forest fires in parts of Sichuan and Yunnan from Saturday to Monday.

It also issued an orange alert, the second highest, for forest fires in parts of Beijing, Hebei, Liaoning, Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong covering the same time span.

An official with the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) said six work teams involving people from multiple agencies, including the MEM and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, will be dispatched to oversee fire prevention.

China has a four-level warning system for forest fires, with red being the highest followed by orange, yellow and blue.