SHENZHEN was clouded in ash Friday afternoon because of a three-hour mountain fire on the Hong Kong side of the Luohu Checkpoint.

Fire broke out on a mountain just across the checkpoint at about 4 p.m. Friday and quickly spread to more than 10 mountains in the area because of low humidity and strong winds, Saturday's Daily Sunshine said.

Two helicopters and firefighters were dispatched to put out the fire, which spread to grass and shrubbery beside the border barrier. The fire was extinguished by about 7:20 p.m. No casualties were reported.

The northern side of the mountain, which also caught fire last year and the year before, is a public cemetery. Many Hong Kong residents often honor their deceased family members at the cemetery.

The Daily quoted a Hong Kong man surnamed Fung who crossed the border at the Luohu Checkpoint on Friday afternoon as saying that it was likely that the fire was caused by the burning incense which wasn't handled properly to prevent fire.

The official cause of the fire is not yet known.

Ash was blown across the checkpoint to Huaqiangbei and even to the Meilin area, the Daily said.

A doorkeeper at Shenzhen Technical School in Meilin said the sky had been clouded with ash for more than two hours causing nose and throat irritation for many people.

Shenzhen municipal meteorological station explained that south and east winds recorded in Shenzhen on Friday and low air humidity resulted in the ash being blown in the direction of Meilin.

(Wang Yuanyuan)

Mountains closed

MOUNTAINS with no established hiking facilities or 24-hour patrolling task force will be closed to the public from now until May 1, during which period the weather conditions are conducive to fire, said the city's fire brigade Friday.

The Yangtai Mountain in Bao??an District caught fire during the weekend because of the dry weather. No casualties were reported. (SD News)