Police Announce Cause of Fire at Wutai Mountain Scenic Area
On the afternoon of February 21, a fire broke out in the Wutai Mountain scenic area in Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. The fire originated in Yangbaiyu Village, Taihuai Town, approximately 2 kilometers from the core area of Wutai Mountain.
Around 5:00 PM the same day, the open flames were extinguished. There were no casualties.
On the afternoon of February 22, the Wutai Mountain Scenic Area Branch of the Xinzhou City Public Security Bureau issued a police notification:
At approximately 3:26 PM on February 21, 2026, a fire was ignited by a villager from Yangbaiyu Village, Taihuai Town, Wutai Mountain, while conducting tomb-sweeping rituals. After intensive efforts by the scenic area’s professional firefighting team, the open flames were extinguished by 4:50 PM. The affected area was forest land, covering about 5 mu (approximately 0.33 hectares). The fire burned only undergrowth weeds, with no damage to trees, major facilities, or casualties. The individual involved confessed to the illegal act. The public security authorities have imposed administrative detention as a penalty.
Police remind the public: The use of open flames in the wild is strictly prohibited within the scenic area. Smoking, picnicking with fires, burning paper offerings, setting off fireworks, and releasing sky lanterns are forbidden in fire-restricted zones. The public is encouraged to adopt new customs and promote civilized methods of tomb-sweeping, such as using flowers or planting trees. Those who cause fires by violating fire regulations will be severely punished according to the law; those causing significant losses will be held criminally liable.
Wutai Mountain, located in Shanxi Province, is one of China’s Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been a major center of Buddhist worship since the 1st century AD, with its five flat-topped peaks symbolizing the wisdom of the bodhisattva Manjushri. The site is renowned for its dense collection of temples, some dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), which blend architectural styles from various Chinese dynasties.
Yangbaiyu Village
Yangbaiyu Village is a small, traditional village located in Hebei Province, China, known for its well-preserved courtyard homes and rural architecture dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. It gained modern historical significance in the 1960s and 1970s as a national model for rural development and self-reliance during the Cultural Revolution, often cited in propaganda of the era. Today, it serves as a cultural heritage site reflecting both ancient Chinese village life and a specific period of modern Chinese political history.
Taihuai Town
Taihuai Town is a historic pilgrimage town located at the heart of Mount Wutai, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Shanxi Province, China. It serves as the main hub for the mountain’s sacred Buddhist complex, with a history dating back over 1,000 years to the construction of its first temples during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD). Today, it remains a spiritual center filled with monasteries, temples, and a vibrant cultural atmosphere for both worshippers and visitors.
Xinzhou City
Xinzhou City is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province, China, with a history dating back over 2,000 years. It served as a significant military and strategic frontier during ancient times due to its location near the Great Wall. Today, it is known for its historical sites, including ancient temples and fortifications, and as a regional center for agriculture and energy.
Shanxi Province
Shanxi Province in northern China is one of the country’s oldest cultural heartlands, often called the “Cradle of Chinese Civilization” as it was a core territory during the early Zhou Dynasty and the subsequent Warring States period. It is renowned for its exceptionally well-preserved ancient architecture, including over 70% of China’s surviving Yuan Dynasty and earlier wooden structures, such as the famous Hanging Temple and the ancient city of Pingyao. The province’s history is also deeply intertwined with Jin merchant culture and its role as a critical frontier and economic hub for centuries.
Wutai Mountain scenic area
Wutai Mountain is one of China’s Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains, located in Shanxi Province, and has been a major pilgrimage site for over a millennium. It is renowned for its cluster of ancient temples and monasteries, with its history of religious worship dating back to the 1st century AD during the Eastern Han Dynasty. The scenic area is also celebrated for its unique natural landscape of five flat-topped peaks and its blend of cultural heritage with stunning mountain scenery.
Wutai Mountain Scenic Area Branch
The Wutai Mountain Scenic Area Branch is a key administrative division of the Mount Wutai scenic region in Shanxi Province, China. This area is historically significant as one of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains, with a legacy of temple construction dating back to the 1st century AD. It serves as a major center for Buddhist pilgrimage and cultural heritage, renowned for its ancient monasteries and natural landscapes.
Xinzhou City Public Security Bureau
The Xinzhou City Public Security Bureau is the municipal police authority responsible for public safety, law enforcement, and social order in Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. As a modern administrative institution, it operates under the framework of China’s public security system, which has evolved to serve and protect the community in accordance with national laws and regulations.
