CHENGDU, March 30 (Xinhua) -- A third-level response has been activated as a forest fire spread to a larger area in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the local fire department said.

The fire started at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in Muli County, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. It is estimated that the fire has spread over 30 hectares as of 11 a.m. on Monday.

There was also a forest fire in Mianning County in the prefecture.

According to the province's emergency management department, more than 3,000 people have been dispatched and four helicopters mobilized to battle the fires.