A forest fire that broke out in Hulun Buir City of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Wednesday morning was extinguished by Thursday afternoon, local police said.

After a 24-hour battle by forestry workers and police, the flames were quenched and their work turned to clearing the area.

No casualties have so far been reported in the fire, and its cause is still under investigation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2005)