A forest fire that had been raging in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Tuesday to Wednesday has been put out, local authorities announced on Wednesday evening.

The fire that broke out on Tuesday afternoon in the region's primitive forest in the Hanma National Nature Reserve was extinguished as of Wednesday evening due to persistent efforts by 2,000 rescuers including firefighters and forest workers, according to the regional forest fire prevention headquarters.

Windy weather in the forest made it extremely difficult to extinguish the blaze. About two square km of forest has been burnt.

An initial investigation showed that a lighting strike was likely to blame for the fire, although the cause is still being investigated.

Located on the western slope of the Greater Hinggan Mountain, Hanma National Nature Reserve, with an area of 107,348 hectares, is known for coniferous forests and diverse animals.