After almost 2 weeks of firefighting, forest fires in Sichuan’s Yajiang County were reported snuffed out on Thursday early morning, according to the regional emergency situation management bureau.
“It was exceptionally difficult to put out these current fires,” states Cheng Xuelia front-line firemen, “owing to the high elevation, thick forest, and irregular and strong winds.”
As a member of Sichuan province’s firefighting service, Cheng was hired to eliminate the blaze, which started on March 15. He likewise taped his fellow firemens as they dealt with the catastrophe by means of pictures and videos. “I believed I need to tape this historical and especially high mountain forest fire,” he states.
Amongst the 148 operations in his 17-year profession, Cheng mentions that the fires in Yajiang — at 4,000 to 4,700 meters above water level– were the greatest he’s experienced. “Part of the fireground was even covered with snow,” Cheng informs Sixth Tone.
The high elevation showed an obstacle to Cheng and his associates, who had actually mainly taken a trip in from Sichuan’s provincial capital Chengdu, where the elevation just reaches around 500 meters. Practically all 100 employee experienced acute mountain sickness, with signs covering headaches to difficulty sleeping. As they were unable to utilize the oxygen tanks at the fire website, the firemens might just take Rhodiola rosea tablets– thought to decrease the impacts of acute mountain sickness– or consume soda for relief.
Sixth Tone chose 28 pictures taken by Cheng recording the forest fire in Yajiang.
Editor: Tom Arnstein.