Firefighters withdraw from snow-covered forest

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Updated: 2017-05-10

A snowstorm aided in burying smoldering embers in Bilahe forest where a blaze swept across thousands of hectares for three days and nights. However, freezing temperatures and snow-covered land made the extraction of exhausted firefighters and forest rangers difficulty.

Firefighters who waited in the snowy forest had been continuously combating the blaze while unexpectedly encountering the heavy snowfall. The dramatic swing wrecked havoc on many of the firefighters’ health.

The firefighting headquarters immediately dispatched hundreds of trucks to evacuate the firefighters. They rallied to designated areas to wait for withdrawal in batches.

Firefighters march to designated areas to withdraw from Bilahe forest on May 6. [Photo/Xinhua]