Gokseong-gun Will Definitely Prevent Most Wildfires Caused by Human Error

Multifaceted Response Including Establishment of Wildfire Prevention Support Center and Operation of Drone Surveillance Team

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] Gokseong-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 17th that it will operate a wildfire prevention headquarters until May 15th in observance of this year's spring wildfire caution period.

Gokseong-gun is surrounded by mountainous areas, with forest land accounting for as much as 72%. Thanks to this, forest resources such as Neungi mushrooms are abundant and play an important role as a source of local income. Therefore, cultivating and preserving forests is considered more important here than in any other local government.

In the past five years, a total of five wildfires have occurred in Gokseong-gun. Among them, 80% were burning wildfires caused by burning rice paddies and field ridges. The remaining one case was caused by a careless fire by a mountain visitor. Fortunately, early extinguishing efforts by Gokseong-gun prevented the wildfires from spreading widely.

However, since all five cases were caused by human factors, Gokseong-gun explained that if only a little more caution had been exercised, these fires would not have occurred in the first place.

During the wildfire caution period, the county is focusing most on preventing burning wildfires, which account for the majority of wildfire causes. They plan to raise awareness of the dangers of burning wildfires among local residents by frequently visiting village halls and senior centers to provide wildfire prevention education.

Efforts to prevent careless fires by mountain visitors will also be carried out simultaneously. During the wildfire caution period, entry to major hiking trails will be controlled, and wildfire prevention cooperation will be promoted to hikers at trailhead ticket booths and temples. In addition, various wildfire prevention measures, including smart wildfire surveillance activities using new technologies such as drones, will be prepared for detailed and proactive responses.

Specifically, first, they aim to completely block human-caused wildfire origins and challenge zero wildfire occurrences. To this end, 66 specialized wildfire prevention and suppression personnel have been selected. These personnel monitor illegal burning activities and inform violators of penalties such as fines. They also operate a flammable material removal team to collect flammable materials near forest areas, eliminating risk factors in advance. Furthermore, they carry out promotional duties encouraging residents to actively participate in creating green villages without burning wildfires.

Second, a drone wildfire surveillance team operates to eradicate illegal activities within restricted mountain entry zones and prevent careless fires by visitors. Last year, Gokseong-gun provided drone usage training to forestry staff, resulting in seven personnel capable of drone video shooting. These personnel find and monitor unauthorized entrants in difficult mountainous areas where enforcement is challenging, conducting control and guidance activities.

Third, wildfire prevention education and publicity will be strengthened for all residents. First, a traveling wildfire safety class is held at least once a month to improve awareness among agricultural and rural residents. Additionally, wildfire caution promotions will be conducted through various media such as TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, advertisements at multi-use facilities like terminals, and the internet (blogs, SNS, etc.) to promote wildfire prevention habits tailored to different times and audiences.

Fourth, the readiness of specialized wildfire prevention and suppression personnel participating in wildfire extinguishing will be enhanced. A budget of 400 million KRW has been secured to improve working conditions and manage firefighting equipment, and a wildfire prevention support center will be newly established.

The county plans to support the smooth work performance of wildfire suppression personnel through the center and improve disaster workers' responsiveness by boosting morale. The center will be equipped with facilities such as a waiting room for wildfire suppression personnel, equipment storage warehouses, showers, and restrooms, allowing personnel to work in a comfortable environment.

A forestry official from Gokseong-gun said, “Voluntary wildfire prevention and monitoring activities are most important to protect precious forests from wildfires,” and added, “Active participation and cooperation from residents are necessary for wildfire prevention.”