BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese official has put the country's forestry firemen on alert for the coming tomb-sweeping day, a traditional holiday for Chinese to light incense, burn paper money to honor their dead ancestors.

    Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu delivered his warning on Saturday as he inspected the forest fire prevention center under the State Forestry Administration.

    After he was given an account of the country's current forest fire conditions, Hui called on governments at various levels to pay close attention to fire prevention.

    "Spring is a golden time to plant trees, but it is also a crucial season to prevent forest fire," he said.

    Fire risk runs high in most regions due to strong winds, rising temperature, and lack of moisture of the season, Hui said, and it is more dangerous when people come outdoors to pay tribute to the dead during the tomb-sweeping season.

    The traditional holiday falls on April 5 every year.

    Hui's warning came amid an intensive fire fight in north and southwest China, where forest fires broke out in four counties of Shanxi Province and one city in Yunnan Province, drawing more than 23,000 firemen to the sites.

    As he showed gratitude towards these firemen, Hui called for more efforts to stamp out these fires in good time so as to ensure people's lives and property safety. Enditem