China's forestry authority has allocated 20 million yuan (about US$2.8 million) worth of fire-fighting equipment to 12 provinces which are ravaged by or are likely to suffer more forest fires as the temperature rises.

According to the State Forest Administration (SFA) on Wednesday, the 12 provinces, including Jiangxi, Hunan, Fujian and Hubei, were facing an increasing risk of forest fires due to warming weather and large volumes of flammable debris after the winter snowstorms.

Some 24,000 units of equipment, including fire extinguishers, fire-proof suits, and other facilities would be delivered to these regions, Liu Xiongying, official with the SFA told Xinhua.

The bitter winter has left southern China vulnerable to forest fires as snowfalls collapsed tree branches.

According to SFA, 690 forest fires have been reported nationwide during the first five days in March, with 43 people killed and 14 wounded.

The recent forest fire in the Tibet Autonomous Region, whipped up by winds, was extinguished on Sunday after a four-day fight. The estimated loss totaled 530,000 yuan.

According to a weather report the national climate center released Tuesday, precipitation in February averaged 13.1 mm across China, 42.4 percent lower than the previous average level, adding more pressure to fire prevention.

The center warned local fire prevention departments to be on high alert as more windy and dry weather was forecast in March.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2008)