Forest Fire in Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk '90% Contained'...Estimated 120ha of Forest Lost

At the wildfire site in Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk, a Korea Forest Service wildfire aerial suppression team member is establishing a firebreak through overnight firefighting efforts. Provided by Korea Forest Service

[Asia Economy (Bonghwa) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The forest fire in Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk, is currently recording a containment rate of over 90% after overnight firefighting efforts.

According to the Central Forest Fire Countermeasures Headquarters of the Korea Forest Service on the 6th, as of 11:30 PM the previous day, the containment rate of the Bonghwa forest fire was 90%, and the Korea Forest Service expects the containment rate to have increased further by 6 AM on the 6th.

Overnight, the response system switched to a nighttime wildfire response, deploying 701 firefighters (484 from special wildfire suppression teams, 185 firefighters, 17 military personnel, and 5 police officers) to the site. They established firebreaks to protect nearby livestock barns and villages, resulting in an all-out effort to contain the fire.

However, the Korea Forest Service estimates that the Bonghwa forest fire destroyed 120 hectares of forest within the affected area. Additionally, one house and one warehouse were destroyed, and about 20 residents were temporarily evacuated.

Lim Sang-seop, Director of the Central Forest Fire Countermeasures Headquarters of the Korea Forest Service, said, “We are mobilizing all available firefighting resources to extinguish the main fire,” adding, “We will do our best to ensure the fire is safely and completely extinguished through swift and accurate situation assessment and cooperation with related agencies.”

Meanwhile, the Bonghwa forest fire broke out around 1:29 PM the previous day near residential areas in Hwacheon-ri, Bonghwa-eup, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk. The Korea Forest Service suspects the fire was caused by embers from a wood boiler.