Forest fires spark safety warnings in Guangdong

Guangdong authorities have issued a warning following a surge in local forest fires caused by fireworks and firecrackers, after a rise in related accidents — some fatal — and tightened safety supervision nationwide during the Spring Festival holiday.

At a video meeting on Saturday convened by the provincial forest fire prevention and control headquarters, local officials were instructed to address deep-rooted weaknesses and reinforce accountability systems to break the cycle of repeated outbreaks that have plagued the region since Feb 15.

On Feb 16, five separate wildfires broke out across five towns in Wuhua county in Meizhou, Guangdong province.

According to the Department of Emergency Management of Guangdong Province, all the fires were caused by villagers illegally setting off fireworks or firecrackers near forest areas. The fires were extinguished in a timely manner, and no casualties were reported.

To address the root causes, provincial authorities ordered intensified source control measures, including comprehensive risk inspections and crackdowns on illegal fire use through specialized operations.

Public awareness campaigns will be expanded through multiple channels to promote fire prevention laws and safety knowledge.

Local governments were also instructed to strengthen emergency preparedness by refining contingency plans, conducting drills and developing an integrated air-space-ground monitoring and early warning system. Supervision efforts will be stepped up, with immediate rectification orders and follow-up inspections to ensure fire prevention measures are effectively implemented.

Two separate fatal fireworks accidents in Jiangsu and Hubei provinces resulted in the deaths of 20 people during the Spring Festival holiday.

The first incident occurred at about 3 pm on Feb 15 in Donghai county, Jiangsu, where improper use of fireworks triggered a deflagration at a nearby retail store, killing eight people.

Three days later, on Feb 18, another deflagration tore through a fireworks shop in Zhengji town in Yicheng, Hubei. The final death toll was confirmed at 12, including seven adults and five minors.

Following the two accidents, the Office of the State Council Work Safety Committee, on Friday, called for strengthened oversight of the entire supply chain in a public notice, particularly the sale and discharge of fireworks, to curb the recent uptick in accidents.

Meanwhile, multiple provinces and cities have issued notices to tighten safety management.

According to a statement released by the Dandong city government in Liaoning province on Saturday, the city has banned hazardous practices such as mixed-use residential and commercial spaces, overstocking, displaying goods outside stores, and any testing or discharge of fireworks within 100 meters of retail locations.

Retailers must assign dedicated on-site personnel for crowd control and emergency response, post clear warning signs and strictly limit the number of customers inside.

The statement said authorities will conduct joint law enforcement operations targeting illegal storage, unlicensed transportation and counterfeit products. Public security, transportation and postal departments will inspect shipments and enforce a complete ban on mailing fireworks.

To encourage public participation, several regions have introduced reward programs. The city of Zhangzhou and Ningde's Xiapu county in Fujian province have announced incentives for reporting illegal fireworks activities. In the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, rewards for tips leading to penalties range from 3,000 yuan ($434) to 300,000 yuan.