BEIJING, Sept. 21 -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing on Thursday stressed the importance of efforts to prevent and fight wildfires this winter.

The world has this year experienced increasing adverse environmental factors such as high temperatures and extreme weather, posing challenges to forest and grassland fire prevention and control work, Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said at a national teleconference.

In high-risk zones, fire services should inspect hazards in power transmission lines, oil-and-gas pipelines and agricultural production, he said.

He urged early improvements to emergency response, monitoring, warning and equipment-preparation procedures, calling for increased investment in fire-prevention and fire-fighting infrastructure and personnel.