A mountain forest fire occurred Wednesday evening at the Huaxian County in northwest China's Shaanxi Province and was extinguished in five hours.

There is no reports of casualties on the forest fire so far.

The fire broke out at about 18:00 hours Wednesday. It rolled up from the mountain foot and formed an 80-meter-long snake-shaped belt with a three-meter-high flame in a short period of time.

Officials of Huaxian County, including the deputy magistrate and forest management bureau head, organized local residents and forest farm workers to put out the fire. Officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army stationed in the county also offered a helping hand. The fire was put out by 23:00 hours Wednesday.

Investigation on the cause of the fire is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency July 8, 2004)