KUNMING, March 9 -- Firefighters are battling to extinguish a forest fire in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Sunday, according to the provincial forest fire team.

A total of 2,320 people, including 250 forest policemen, have been mobilized to put out the blaze, which started at about 4:40 p.m. on Saturday near Qingshan Village of Lufeng County.

An initial evaluation showed that the fire has raged through an area of about 70 hectares with a firebreak extending about 4,000 meters. No casualties have been reported so far.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.