In response to growing climate volatility, China has launched a comprehensive reinforcement of its forest and grassland fire management systems. The Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) announced on Friday that escalating frequencies of extreme weather patterns are elevating fire hazards across the nation’s vast territories.
Yang Xudong, a senior MEM official, highlighted during a press briefing that concurrent factors—including unseasonably warm spring temperatures, diminished precipitation levels, and heightened human activities such as agricultural operations and tourism—are compounding fire control challenges.
The revitalized strategy emphasizes strengthening accountability mechanisms for local governments while mandating that land operators enhance fire prevention infrastructure and expand surveillance patrols. Authorities will implement more precise controls over potential ignition sources in vulnerable areas.
Technological advancement forms a cornerstone of the updated approach. China is optimizing an integrated early warning system that synergizes satellite monitoring, aerial reconnaissance, and ground-level inspections. This multi-layered detection network aims to deliver timely and accurate alerts to prevent fire outbreaks.
Recent years have witnessed China’s sustained commitment to ecological conservation, with 2025 recording only 226 forest and grassland fires—the lowest figure in historical records. This progress aligns with the nation’s broader transition toward proactive risk management, exemplified by the newly enacted Fire Prevention and Control Regulation that took effect January 1, 2026.