A fixed-wing aircraft carries out fire fighting operations over a forest in Yangquan. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]

The emergency management bureau of Yangquan city in North China's Shanxi province recently signed a cooperation agreement on aviation emergency rescue services with Shanxi Victory General Aviation Co.

It marked the launch of Yangquan's first aviation emergency rescue service, making it the second city in the province after Changzhi to introduce an aviation emergency rescue operation.

Aviation emergency rescue feature fast response speed, strong maneuverability, wide rescue ranges and high tech content.

In recent years, the forest area in Yangquan has been expanding and a great deal of it is located in mountainous areas where the terrain is complex, increasing the challenge for forest and grassland fire-fighting. Fighting wildfires from the air is seen an effective method for tackling the blazes that threaten forests. 

A drone airdrops fire extinguishing materials to control the fire in a forest in Yangquan. [Photo/yqnews.com.cn]

Since the start of the year, Yangquan has accelerated developing its aviation emergency rescue force. The city's emergency management bureau has rented a fire-fighting helicopter from Shanxi Victory General Aviation Co for the entire year and rented a fixed-wing fire-fighting aircraft during the high fire risk period for forests and grasslands, for forest patrols and forest fire-fighting, emergency transportation of the wounded and sick and deliveries of disaster relief materials. 

According to the director of the bureau, the cooperation with the company will improve the city's comprehensive emergency rescue capabilities and help further build a more complete emergency rescue system.