Forest fire approaching Xichang in China

More than 3,800 firefighters are battling a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province, as winds stoked the flames on Wednesday evening, China's official media reported.

The nearest fire was some 10 kilometres (7 miles) from downtown area of the city of Xichang, said Xinhua News Agency.

China's Central Television said firefighters have set up several fire breaks to separate a residential community, a school, a gasoline station and two cultural heritages from the approaching fire.

The fire started on a local farm on Monday afternoon and quickly spread to nearby mountains due to strong winds, according to the government of Xichang.

On Tuesday, 19 people, including 18 firefighters and a local forest farm worker who led the way for the firefighters, died while battling the fire.

Nearly 2,500 people in Xichang have been evacuated, Xinhua said.