BEIJING — State Councilor Wang Yong on Nov 10 stressed the need for solid efforts to prevent forest and grassland fires.

At a national teleconference on forest and grassland fire prevention and control, Wang called for safety to be prioritized and for prevention to be the focus, so as to forestall major fire incidents and protect people's lives and property, as well as national ecological security.

The current fire prevention situation remains highly complex and serious, said Wang, also head of the national headquarters for forest and grassland fire prevention and control.

Efforts should be made to strengthen monitoring, early warning and troubleshooting systems, boost fire control capabilities at an early stage, and ensure solid work related to workplace safety and disaster prevention and control, he said.