Beijing issues Kongming lantern ban   

北京全市范圍禁止生產、銷售、燃放“孔明燈”

(ECNS) -- A ban on Kongming lanterns has been put into force since Saturday in Beijing, according to xinhuanet.com.

Production, sale and release of the lanterns are all prohibited.

A report from the Beijing Morning Post said that a burning lantern fell on a telegraph pole near the city's Happy Valley on Halloween evening, nearly igniting the electric wires.

According to the ban, any person or organization will be held liable for damage caused by the lanterns they release, and held criminally responsible if the consequences are particularly dire.

Lighting off Kongming lanterns in the city can threaten tall buildings, trees, power lines and even aircraft.

Beijing police said they had received 18 reports involving the lanterns, with four catching trees on fire.

Kongming lanterns have been a tradition in China for centuries. In ancient days, they were used in wars to release signals. Nowadays, people release them into the night sky for recreation and to make wishes.