Wildfire in Yangyang... Authorities Raise 'Wildfire Level 2'

On the afternoon of the 22nd, a wildfire broke out in the area of Hyeonbuk-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province, and a firefighting helicopter is extinguishing the fire in Myeongji-ri. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] A wildfire broke out in Woniljeon-ri, Hyeonbuk-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province, amid a dry weather warning and a strong wind advisory.

The wildfire occurred at around 1:32 PM on the 22nd. Currently, the forestry authorities have deployed 16 helicopters and 984 firefighting personnel to extinguish the fire.

The forestry authorities raised the alert from level 1 to level 2 at around 4:10 PM. This was to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby residential areas as strong winds with a maximum speed of 17 m/s were blowing at the site.

Level 2 is issued when the average wind speed is between 7 and 11 m/s, the expected damage area is between 30 and less than 100 hectares, and the extinguishing time is between 8 and less than 24 hours.

Initial response involves all firefighting personnel from the city, county, and district, as well as the national forest management office, within 50% of adjacent agencies' manpower, and all firefighting helicopters and drone teams from the responsible and adjacent agencies.

The fire department also raised its response level from 1 to 2 at around 2:26 PM to prevent damage to residential areas.

Response level 1 is an alert where all personnel from the responsible fire station are dispatched, and response level 2 mobilizes personnel and equipment from 5 to 6 neighboring fire stations.

Yangyang-gun issued an evacuation order to residents near the fire site via disaster text messages and called employees for emergency assembly.

So far, there have been no casualties or property damage, and 29 residents of Myeongji-ri have been confirmed to have evacuated to the nearby Hagwangjeong-ri village hall.

The forestry authorities plan to investigate the cause of the fire and the damage area as soon as the fire is extinguished.