KUNMING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Around 1,200 people have been sent to put out a forest fire that started Tuesday in southwest China's Yunnan Province, local authorities said.

The fire was reported in Yunlang village at around 11 a.m., according to the city government of Dali.

Around 1,200 people from the local armed police, forest police, militia and fire fighting forces have been sent to the scene.

The blaze follows another fire that broke out on May 19 in Wanqiao village in Dali. The fire, put out in May 20, burned about 10 hectares of forest.