[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Around 11:21 a.m. on the 11th, a forest fire broke out in Mungok-ri, Nam-myeon, Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon Province, burning an estimated 4 hectares (40,000㎡) of forest. There were no casualties, and the fire was extinguished after about six hours.
Forest authorities, along with the fire department, deployed nine helicopters and about 150 firefighters, completing the main fire suppression around 6 p.m. and are currently removing remaining embers.
Forest authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
A representative from the Korea Forest Service stated, "We will thoroughly extinguish remaining embers and monitor for flare-ups to prevent the fire from reigniting," adding, "Due to the recent dry weather, even a small spark can lead to a large forest fire, so please refrain from using fire near forested areas."
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