The fire flared up at 2 p.m. Saturday when it blew heavily with the flame in some areas more than 10 meters high. The firefighters have then put out most of the fire, and were quenching in two sites measuring more than 3 hectares each, according to He Zixing, party secretary of Lijiang city on Saturday.

The fire, which broke out at Cimeige of Yulong County, around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, has not posed a threat to or influence on the famous snow-clad Yulong Mountain scenery some 20 km away.

Affected forest area extends 133 ha, with primarily regrown forests and some primitive forests being destroyed, said an official from the fire fighting headquarters.

More than 2,000 personnel, including those from the military and the armed police, plus one helicopter and about 100 tanker trucks have been sent to quench the fire.

Cause of the fire was unknown by press time.