CHENGDU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Firefighters were forced to suspend their work to put out a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province due to strong winds, fire police said Friday.

Photo: Global Times

The fire broke out at 5 p.m. Thursday at the border of Xide and Mianning counties in Sichuan, according to the provincial forest fire department.

A total of 280 firefighters were sent to the spot to quench the fire early Friday morning, but they had to retreat around noon because of the strong winds with unstable wind directions at the site.

More firefighters are rushing to the site.