HOHHOT -- About 500 armed policemen and firemen have succeeded in controlling fires in virgin forests in north China's Inner Mongolia, said local forestry authorities on Saturday.

Fire fighters have curbed the spread of the fires and are still struggling to put them out completely, said the Inner Mongolia Greater Hinggan Mountain Forestry Administration.

Three fires were detected Thursday and Friday by satellite data in the virgin forests north of the Greater Hinggan Mountain, according to the region's meteorological administration.

Two fires, one covering 2.87 square kilometers and the other 0.66 sq km, were near Ergune City, while another fire was in a virgin forest north of Genhe City.

Initial investigation showed the fires were caused by lightning strikes.