Related departments have generated artificial rain to help firefighters fight forest fires in northeast China.

A forestry center in north Heilongjiang province caught fire last Friday.

Local authorities have dispatched over 10,000 people to fight the raging fire.

Since the dry, clear and windy weather makes it difficult to extinguish the fires, the local government has decided to make artificial rain in the forest areas.

After the rainfall, local authorities will launch aircraft to observe and assess the situation.

(CRI October 19, 2004)