Vehicle may have sparked Mongolia wildfire, putting China rescuers on high alert

A grassland fire in Mongolia has raised fresh concerns in China, underscoring the recurring risk of cross-border environmental hazards.This is not the first time an environmental disaster originating in Mongolia has threatened to cross the 4,700km (2,920-mile) border into China, with the impacts sometimes also affecting the Korean peninsula and Japan.An aerial drone photo shows firefighters extinguishing a grassland fire at the border area in northern China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Monday. Photo: XinhuaThe blaze, which erupted on October 8 in the inland country’s easternmost Dornod province bordering Russia and China, advanced rapidly towards China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, driven by strong autumn winds and drought conditions.China’s consulate general in Zamyn-Uud expressed Beijing’s concern over the steppe fire in a meeting with the province on Tuesday, urging timely updates and intensified firefighting operations. China was ready to support the rescue efforts, he said.