Forest and grassland fires fell to a record low in 2025

China saw 226 forest and grassland fires nationwide in 2025, the lowest annual figure on record, an official said on Friday.

Shen Zhanli, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Emergency Management, released the data at a news briefing, saying the fires affected 4,971 hectares of forest and grassland and caused two deaths.

She noted that the number of such fires has remained below 1,000 for five consecutive years.

In addition, thanks to a series of measures, the number of workplace safety accidents nationwide fell below 20,000 for the first time in 2025, down 8.7 percent year-on-year, according to Shen.

Despite the improvement, Shen warned that the situation for workplace safety and forest and grassland fire prevention and control remains "severe and complicated".

With increasingly frequent extreme weather events expected this year, fire risks are continuing to rise, and the tasks of preventing risks and eliminating hidden dangers remain challenging, she said.

The spokeswoman also noted that two major accidents and multiple incidents involving serious potential risks have occurred so far this year, indicating that the foundation for workplace safety is still not solid.

As the Spring Festival travel rush is still underway and businesses resume operations after the holiday, safety risks should not be overlooked, she added.