![firefighters killed china wildfire](https://wildfiretoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/China-fire.jpg)
A wildfire in southwest China’s Sichuan province killed 19 people on Monday, including 18 firefighters according to state news agency Xinhua. It started on a farm and pushed by strong winds spread into mountains burning 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) by Monday night. It now directly threatens major facilities in downtown Xichang, including a petroleum storage facility and four schools.
About 690,000 people live in the city, which is about 210 miles southwest of provincial capital Chengdu.
![Map fire near Xichang China](https://wildfiretoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/China-fire-map.jpg)
In the tweet below, firefighters appear to be in a precarious location:
Here is the computer-generated translation:
A large fire has been ravaging since yesterday the region of #Xichang, in the south center of the . #China 18 firefighters have already lost their lives trying to control the fire #XichangFire https://t.co/n6dgrB05Pr
— Wildfire Today ? (@wildfiretoday) March 31, 2020
Our sincere condolences go out to the families, friends, and coworkers of the deceased.
If those numbers are even correct. I have serious doubts.