The forest fire started on a local farm at 3:51 pm Monday in Xichang county, Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Photo: Xichang government

A total of 18 firefighters and one local guide were confirmed dead on Tuesday from a forest fire that spread more than 1,000 hectares of land in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The flame started on a local farm at 3:51 pm Monday in the city of Xichang and quickly spread to nearby mountains due to strong winds, the information office of Xichang reported. 

More than 2,000 people took part in rescue efforts. 

At about 2:00 am on Tuesday, when one group of people were on their way to the scene of the fire, the wind suddenly changed direction and they were surrounded by the flame. Eighteen firefighters and one local employee of the farm were confirmed dead on Tuesday.

As of midnight on Tuesday, the fire had engulfed  1,000 hectares, and the damaged area was estimated to surpass  80 hectares, the Xichang government said Tuesday. 

Heavy smoke drifted into the sky and posed threats to nearby urban areas, including important facilities such as a petroleum gas storage station with about 250 tons of stock, two gas stations, four schools and the largest department store in Xichang. Police evacuated more than 1,200 local people. 

A number of forest fires have occurred in Liangshan prefecture of Sichuan, involving Muli county, Xichang city, Mianning county, Yanyuan county and other areas, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Fires have been frequently reported in Liangshan in recent years. The forest fire in Muli county, Liangshan on March 30, 2019 claimed 31 lives, of whom 27 were firefighters. 

Global Times