BEIJING — Fewer forest fires hit China in the first nine months of this year, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

A total of 961 forest fires, including seven major ones, broke out in China from January to September, down 45.1 percent year-on-year, the ministry said.

The fires covered 6,542 hectares of forest, down 38.8 percent year-on-year. More than half of the forest fires occurred in March and April.

Lightning-caused fires accounted for 17.2 percent of the total, while the use of fire for farming accounted for 31 percent in the first nine months, the ministry said.