When Wan Wan, a resident of Xiguan Village in Bishan District in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, heard that the firefighters from Yunan who came to help put out the wildfire on the mountain would soon return home, she decided she had to do something to show her gratitude. She carried a basket of freshly boiled eggs to an intersection at the bottom of the hill they were working on early Saturday morning.
"This is to be given to the firefighters," she said.
A photo of some of the boiled eggs given to the departing firefighters with the words "tribute to the hero firefighters" and "tribute to the forest guards" written on them in Chinese. /Xinhua
In the scorching heat and drought conditions, multiple wildfires have ravaged many parts of Chongqing. On Sunday, August 21, a wildfire broke out in Hutou Village in Chongqing's Beibei District and quickly to Bishan District.
A view of the wildfire on Hutou Mountain in Bishan District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, August 23, 2022. /CFP
More than 700 rescue personnel from southwest China's Yunnan Province were dispatched to help with the rescue efforts.
Villagers at the bottom of the hill also took action. They used their motorcycles to transport the firefighters on the narrow mountain roads.
Volunteers transport supplies to a nearby firefighting site in Beibei District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, August 23, 2022. /CFP
Wan Wan was one of the many volunteers.
"I saw the firefighters on the front line, eyes full of blood, pants all scuffed up around the knees, their bodies were covered with ash, only their teeth were white," she said.
She made meals at home daily and sent them to the front line to ensure the firefighters had a hot meal.
Firefighters on the mountain finished their work and descended the mountain on Saturday, the last of the wildfire having been put out on Friday.
Concerned about whether they would have enough to eat on their return journey home, several women from Wan Wan's neighborhood brought eggs to Wan Wan's home and asked her to deliver them to the firefighters.
"It's gonna be a long journey, and what if they get hungry on the way?" Wan Wan said.
She told reporters that many villagers expressed gratitude to the firefighters from the bottom of their hearts.
Residents cheer as the last batch of the Yunnan Provincial Forest Fire Brigade departs from Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, where they had helped fight a raging wildfire, August 28,2022 /CFP
At noon on Saturday, the crowd on both sides of the road at the foot of the hill was full of residents bearing gifts for the departing firefighters. They brought mineral water, milk, pastries, fruits and flowers to show their gratitude.
A firefighter waves goodbye to the villagers that had gathered to see his team off after they helped put out a wildfire in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, August 28, 2022. /CFP
The firefighters kept waving goodbye to the crowd, and many villages appeared to be on the verge of tears.