A10-HOUR inferno has destroyed an ancient Tibetan town popular with tourists.

There is no immediate report of casualties, and the cause of the fire in the ancient Tibetan town of Dukezong is still unclear.

The Deqen prefecture government said the fire broke out at 1.27am local time yesterday and it took more than 1000 firefighters to bring the blaze under control by 11am.

The official Xinhua News Agency says more than 100 houses were destroyed as flames engulfed the town in China's south-west Yunnan province.