China urges Tomb Sweeping Day fire precautions

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A man bows to a tombstone in a cemetery garden in Beijing, March 30, 3013. [Photo/icpress]?

During the holiday, which falls on April 4, the Chinese pay respects to deceased family members. Traditionally, the tributes involve burning incense and paper money, which has occasionally caused fires in past years.

Residents should not burn paper money, candles or set off fireworks when there is strong wind, the ministry's fire control bureau said in a statement on Monday.

The burning should be far away from residences, public buildings, cultural relics, forests or grassland. People should not leave the burning sites unless the fire is extinguished, the bureau urged.

It is forbidden to block the way for fire-fighting vehicles, the statement said. It also warned against fire risks caused by electric bicycles.

A total of 520 million people visited their ancestors' tombs during the holiday in 2012, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. About 200 forest fires were reported during the three-day festival last year, but there were no major fire accidents.