Fire lookouts in Arxan's forests

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2015-05-29

For seven years, 39-year-old Li Jingquan works as a lookout, watching for any danger of fire in Arxan forestry bureau, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Together with two other lookouts, he works on a mountain in Arxan National Forest Park. From March 15 to June 15 and the mid-September to November 15 are the two periods with highest risk of fires. They may stay on the mountain for half a month during these periods.

Their lookout station is three to four hours away from the nearest town. In winter, when the mountain is blanketed by snow, their water supply comes from melted snow.

There is rare visitor to the station on the top of mountain. Occasionally, someone may climb to the mountain top for photography or field research, and will receive a warm welcome from the isolated lookouts.

"At the mountain's foot is the ashes of a forest fire in 1998, which burned some hundred-year-old trees," said Li. He said the ashes remind him to be more alert to the fire.

Arxan forestry bureau has nine lookout stations for fire prevention that guard an area of 483,861 hectares, with over 20 lookouts.

Li Jingquan (middle) and his workmates stand in front of the lookout station in Arxan National Forest Park on May 23.[Photo by LI Renzi/Xinhua]