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Myanmar forest fire crosses SW China border

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-22 19:00

KUNMING -- A four-day forest fire in Myanmar crossed the southwest China border on Sunday, where it quickly engulfed more than 60 hectares of forest, according to the forest police in Yunnan Province.

More than 2,000 policemen from Yunnan have assisted in fighting fire on the border since the two fire accidents broke out in Myanmar Wednesday.

The total fire area has been estimated at 300 hectares as of Sunday morning.

Some 1,500 policemen dug a 10,000-meter ditch in the border county of Tengchong of Yunnan on Sunday to prevent the fire from spreading further inland.

The county has also mobilized 4,500 firefighters. However, a strong gale has made the fire difficult to control, according to police.