Three people were killed after a forest fire broke out in Maxiang village in Changshun county, Guizhou province, on Monday, according to the county’s government.

Local officials immediately organized a response team to address the blaze, which erupted at around 3:30 pm Monday.

During the process, a sudden change in wind direction forced the on-site personnel to evacuate. Two individuals died during the evacuation, and another was injured and later pronounced dead at the county hospital. The three people who died were two officials and one forest ranger.

Local authorities mobilized professional forces to combat the fire. As of 10 am on Tuesday, the fire has been extinguished. Residents in the affected areas have been relocated to secure locations.