"High Temperatures and Wind..." Nationwide Wildfire Risk Warning This Weekend

With high temperatures combined with strong winds, the nationwide forest fire risk index is expected to rise further.

Imira, Deputy Director of the Korea Forest Service, visited the Central Forest Disaster Comprehensive Situation Room on the 21st to check the wildfire response situation and ordered thorough wildfire prevention and response through cooperation with related organizations during the weekend when strong winds are expected. Photo by Korea Forest Service

The National Institute of Forest Science announced on the 21st that the forest fire risk index is expected to increase in most regions nationwide from the 21st to the 23rd, urging special caution to prevent forest fires.

According to the forest fire risk index analysis from the National Forest Fire Risk Forecast System, from the 21st, most regions nationwide?excluding the east coast of Gangwon and the southern and western coasts?are predicted to have a ‘High (66~85)’ forest fire risk index.

Research by the Institute of Forest Science confirmed that 10mm of precipitation is effective in preventing forest fires for 46 hours. Considering this, the Gangwon region, which experienced heavy snowfall on the 18th and 19th, may have a relatively lower forest fire risk index.

On the other hand, the cumulative precipitation in most regions nationwide is less than 10mm, making it difficult to expect forest fire prevention effects even if snow has fallen in recent days.

In particular, the Korea Meteorological Administration forecasts that from this day, daytime high temperatures will rise 3 to 8 degrees Celsius above average, reaching 14 to 22 degrees Celsius, and winds will be strong, which increases the forest fire risk index.

The increase in hikers and other visitors to the mountains over the weekend, as well as frequent burning activities in rural farming areas ahead of the farming season, are also factors that raise the forest fire risk index.

Ahn Hee-young, head of the Forest Fire Prediction and Analysis Center at the Institute of Forest Science, emphasized, “This weekend is expected to be the first critical point for forest fire prevention this spring,” adding, “Special caution is required to prevent forest fires by refraining from handling fire sources such as burning, smoking, and cooking near forest-adjacent areas.”