SW China forest fire extinguished

A fire rages a forest near Xichang city in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture of southwest China's Sichuan province on Tuesday afternoon.[Photo: China News Service / Jiang Zhiming]

Firefighters in southwest China's Sichuan province have put out a fire that has been raging overnight in a local forest, authorities said on Wednesday.

The fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon in a forest near Xichang city in the remote Liangshan Prefecture, which is mainly populated by ethnic Yi people.

Under a joint effort by local firefighters, forest police officers and armed police, the blaze was extinguished around 7:58 am, according to the publicity department of Xichang city.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.