FOREST FIRE IN CHINA

Forest Fire in China

China is a country with serious forest fire, large burn forest area and serious fire loss. According to report of Chinese State Forest Administration, annual average losses due to fires are 900 injuries and 50 deaths per annum. During last 55 decades, it was recorded 13,600 fires and annual average burned areas of 758,000 hm2. China ranks second in the world after Russia according to the occurrence of forest fires (in number) annually. Considering forests burned areas, China’s position is third following the Canada and Russia.

After the heavy fire happened in Daxinganling Mountains in May 1987, that killed 213 persons and burned areas 1330 hm2, fire becomes as one of the essential parts in forestry, also paid much attention all over China in recent years. The fire area yearly is about 0.8% of whole forest area, which is eight times as much as that of the average level of the world.

Most of the forest fires in China are caused by non-productive (e.g., smoking) and productive fire utilization (e.g., field fires for land reclamation), and some are from lightning and other natural disasters, some deliberate fires and unknown reasons. Increase of human population and their activities have resulted in an increase the number of forest fires in China.
The main measures to manage forest fires are to raise awareness through publicity and educational program, manage forest fires by legislation, firefighting team development, actively engage the society in the prevention and management of forest fires, reinforce the infrastructure construction, and management of key fire danger zone.