More than 1,000 forest fires were reported in eastern China's Jiangxi Province in the first four months of this year amid the most severe drought in 100 years that started last summer. The fires killed nine people, seriously injured five others and damaged at least 11,140 hectares of trees, provincial authorities said. Local officials blamed 62 percent of the fires on farmers improperly burning weeds on farmlands and another 19 percent on incinerating paper when paying respect to the deceased at graveyards.