Fire controls stepped up after Shangri-la blaze

Photo taken on Jan 12, 2014 shows the fire site at the Dukezong Ancient Town of Shangri-la, a resort county in southwest China's Yunnan province. (Xinhua Photo)

The Chinese government is tightening fire controls at cultural heritage sites after a blaze at an ancient town in southwest China on Saturday.

The State Administration of Cultural Heritage on Monday issued a notice to provincial cultural heritage departments, telling them to step up fire controls in ancient cities, towns and villages.

The administration called it a "priority of priorities" in a statement.

Dukezong in Shangri-la County of Yunnan Province, known for well-preserved Tibetan homes, lost nearly 300 houses, or two thirds of the entire town, in the worst fire in the 1,300-year-old town's history.

Provincial departments have been told to inspect loopholes in fire control measures and report to the administration how they will correct the problems by the end of March, the statement said.