A forest fire in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has finally been extinguished, five days after it was first sighted.

The blaze was spotted last Wednesday in the Woduhe forestry area in Nenjiang County and it soon spread across some 50 square km of forest.

More than 1,000 people and three helicopters were mobilized to fight the fire, which was put out at midday on Monday. Due to relatively strong winds in the area, people are still stationed at the scene in case the smoldering ashes relight.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2007)