[Public Voices] The Hawaii Wildfire Was Man-Made... Let's Prepare for a Safe Winter

"We did not sound the siren for fear it would cause panic." This is a statement close to an excuse by Herman Andaya, head of the Emergency Management Agency of Maui County, Hawaii, which suffered great damage from wildfires last August. The fire, recorded as the worst wildfire in the United States since the 1918 Minnesota wildfire that claimed 453 lives, resulted in the deaths of 97 residents, with dozens still missing. The fire burned 2,170 acres (8.78 km²), about three times the size of Yeouido (2.9 km²), destroying thousands of homes. According to local media, the U.S. National Weather Service had already issued warnings about fire risks in the Hawaii area, considering the occurrence of a hurricane. However, the local authorities were almost unprepared for disasters including fires. The fire was a man-made disaster caused by administrative negligence and poor initial response.

Although Hawaii’s case was a disaster occurring in a limited island space, the impact would have been quite different if it had happened in a large city like Seoul. Modern metropolises function as spaces where large-scale, high-rise, complex, and underground buildings and facilities are integrated with advanced information and communication technologies represented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Behind the convenience of highly concentrated urban areas enabled by technological advancement lies the risk of unpredictable damage patterns in the event of a disaster. Not only is a reactive approach of ‘locking the barn after the horse is lost’ unacceptable, but only thorough preparation tailored to time and place can guarantee citizens’ safety.

Winter is coming soon with cold winds. The fire department is a representative organization that implements policies to ensure the safety of the people from various disasters on the front lines. Every November, the fire department designates it as the ‘Fire Prevention Emphasis Month’ and conducts fire prevention campaigns in preparation for the upcoming winter season, as well as implements various safety measures to reduce casualties in case of disasters.

The major winter safety measures promoted by the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters are: first, strengthening safety management through special fire inspections and fire safety consultations for multi-family housing, including old apartments without sprinklers, to reduce casualties from residential fires. Second, focusing on customized fire safety measures for densely populated areas such as traditional markets, multi-use facilities, underground-connected complex buildings, campsites, and guesthouses. Third, actively implementing fire safety management measures tailored to vulnerable groups, including nursing homes, hospitals, small rooms, and residential vinyl houses. Fourth, promoting winter fire safety through fire vulnerability facility safety enhancement measures suited to Seoul’s characteristics for large construction sites, fire prevention zones, hanok-dense areas, self-service gas stations, and large warehouse facilities.

Of course, for these fire safety measures to have practical effects, active participation and practice by citizens are essential. We remember well the voluntary spirit of participation shown by citizens during the process of overcoming COVID-19. Based on this trust, I have no doubt that safety awareness will mature even further this winter.

There is a saying by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States: "If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first four sharpening the axe." Let us take the Hawaii wildfire case as a lesson and prepare for this winter with a mindset of being well-prepared.

Hwang Gi-seok, Head of Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters