Jeonbuk Province Launches 258 Spring Wildfire Prevention Headquarters Early

658 Wildfire Suppression Team Members and 760 Monitors Selected and Deployed

Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province has decided to advance the operation of its Spring Wildfire Prevention Countermeasure Headquarters to the 20th, earlier than the originally scheduled date of the 1st of next month, due to the increased risk of wildfires caused by recent temporary droughts and rising temperatures.

Jeonbuk Province will activate the Spring Wildfire Prevention Headquarters, originally scheduled to operate from the 1st of next month, 20 days earlier. Provided by Jeonbuk Province

According to the province, this measure is a proactive response considering the heightened possibility of wildfires during the Lunar New Year holiday, when there is an increase in visitors returning home, as well as people visiting ancestral graves and entering mountain areas.

To ensure a swift response in the event of a wildfire, the province will operate 258 Wildfire Prevention Countermeasure Headquarters (at the provincial, city, county, and township levels) and has deployed two 1,500-liter capacity firefighting helicopters ahead of schedule.

In addition, Jeonbuk will maintain a cooperative system with relevant agencies such as the Iksan Forest Aviation Office, fire stations, and police stations to ensure prompt initial wildfire suppression and minimize damage.

For ground firefighting personnel, 658 wildfire suppression team members and 760 wildfire monitors have been selected and pre-deployed across 14 cities and counties. A rapid response team for nighttime wildfires has also been organized to operate until 10 p.m.

During the Lunar New Year holiday period (25th to 30th), wildfire monitors and specialized prevention and suppression team members will work in shifts, and on-site deployment will be strengthened in wildfire-prone areas such as major hiking trails and cemetery parks frequently visited by people paying respects and mountain visitors.

Furthermore, unmanned surveillance cameras will be fully operational to maintain a real-time wildfire monitoring system.

Song Geumhyeon, Director of the Provincial Environment and Forestry Bureau, stated, "Reflecting the recent trend of wildfires becoming more frequent and larger throughout the year, we have established a response system earlier than usual," and added, "We ask all residents to exercise particular caution and refrain from handling embers, such as reprocessing wood boilers or burning, in areas adjacent to forests."