Gyeonggi-do Holds Meeting to Enhance Forest Disaster Response Capabilities for Wildfires and Landslides

Operation of Rented Helicopters for Wildfire Suppression and Encouragement to Participate in the '2024 Gyeonggi-do Wildfire Suppression Competition'
Pilot Project for Installation of Signboards in Landslide-Prone Areas - Collection of Difficulties and Suggestions from Cities and Counties

Meeting of officials in charge of wildfires and landslides.

On the 24th, Gyeonggi Province held meetings with wildfire and landslide officials from 21 southern cities and counties at the Gyeonggi Forest Environment Research Institute (located in Osan), and with officials from 10 northern cities and counties at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Northern Office (located in Uijeongbu) on the 26th.

The meetings were organized to share the achievements planned for 2024 and to listen to field voices regarding difficulties and suggestions, with 60 forest disaster officials from Gyeonggi Province and 31 cities and counties in attendance.

In the wildfire sector, discussions encouraged the operation of wildfire suppression leased helicopters, the formation of firefighting teams by city and county officials, and participation by cities and counties in the ‘2024 Gyeonggi Province Wildfire Suppression Competition’ scheduled to be held in Yangju City in November.

In the landslide sector, information was provided on the 2025 provincial government-supported projects, including the installation of signboards in vulnerable areas and a pilot project for a database (DB) service. The meeting also served as a platform to collect difficulties and suggestions from cities and counties due to the increased workload in the landslide sector, a key natural disaster area, starting in 2024.

Gyeonggi Province plans to operate a ‘Wildfire Prevention Countermeasures Headquarters’ during the autumn wildfire caution period (November 1 to December 15) and major holidays, and will implement a ‘Golden Time System’ to ensure that suppression helicopters arrive at wildfire sites within 30 minutes of a report, aiming to extinguish wildfires early.

Additionally, a second-half inspection will be conducted on 2,372 landslide-vulnerable sites, and 10,914 residents living in these vulnerable areas will be connected one-on-one with evacuation assistants such as community leaders to ensure maximum effort in evacuating residents in case of emergencies.

Seok Yong-hwan, Director of the Forest and Greenery Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, “To minimize casualties and property damage from forest disasters, upon receiving wildfire reports or landslide prediction information, immediate cooperation with related agencies such as fire departments and police should be carried out according to the on-site action manual. Wildfires should be suppressed early at the main fire, and landslides should be proactively evacuated after situational assessment led by the deputy head of the local government.”