Government authorities in Pingyao county, Shanxi province, have permanently banned fireworks in its conservation area to protect precious local wood and brick buildings.

The ban, which was released on Saturday, came after blazes severely destroyed cultural heritage sites over the past few months and caused the authorities to tighten fire controls.

The storage, sale and setting off of fireworks have all been banned in the county's ancient city conservation area.

Meanwhile, the use of electric heaters as well as releasing sky lanterns for prayer were also forbidden in the area, the county government said.

Anyone violating the rule will be fined between 100 yuan ($16.50) and 500 yuan, while those causing injuries or damaging other people's property will have to pay compensation, the statement said.

As the most complete county representing the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Pingyao county was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

The county was recognized for its well-preserved ancient city wall and gorgeous wooden houses in its conservation area.

"But the ban will not cause great inconvenience for people's daily lives since the size of the ancient city conservation area was quite limited. Setting off fireworks is still allowed in the rest of the county," said Ji Ye, a 43-year-old resident.

The conservation area in Pingyao is about 2.25 square kilometers. Of the county's 500,000 residents, nearly 30,000 live in the area, according to the county government.

Ding Yao, an architectural expert from Tianjin University, said the county's decision reflects a growing concern to protect precious cultural heritage sites.

"But it is really a challenge, especially when protecting those big ancient buildings, since some of them are still regularly used," he said.

A blaze in Dukezong, an ancient Tibetan town in Yunnan province, destroyed 343 of 1,084 houses after a hotel owner accidentally set curtains on fire earlier this month.

The town, in Shangri-la county, was founded 1,300 years ago and was known for its cobbled streets and well-preserved wooden houses.

In November, Fengyu Bridge, Asia's longest covered bridge, was destroyed by fire in Chongqing municipality.

The bridge was famous for its traditional beauty topped by a pagoda-style roof.

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