Jinju City Declares National Wildfire Crisis ... Designates Restricted Mountain Access Areas

Proactive Measures for Wildfire Prevention and Forest Protection

Jinju City in Gyeongnam Province has designated all forest areas within its jurisdiction, totaling 41,448 hectares, as "restricted areas for entry with fire or flammable materials" as of the 29th, in response to the continued 'Severe' level of the national wildfire disaster crisis alert and the increased risk of wildfires, including large-scale wildfires in neighboring cities and counties.

This measure, taken under Article 34 of the Forest Protection Act, is aimed at protecting valuable forests from wildfires and ensuring the safety of citizens. Accordingly, entry into all forest areas while carrying fire, flammable materials, or ignition sources is restricted and controlled.

Additionally, the city has organized a special task force of 360 wildfire prevention guidance officers, deploying them to vulnerable areas such as hiking trails in towns and villages to promote the ban on entering forests with fire or flammable materials. The city has also cracked down on burning activities near forest boundaries, recently imposing fines totaling 2.4 million won for eight violations.

A Jinju City official stated, "Anyone who enters the forest without permission while carrying fire or flammable materials may be fined up to 200,000 won. Even if a wildfire is caused by accident, the offender may face imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won." The official also urged, "For wildfire prevention and forest protection, we ask for citizens' active participation and cooperation in prohibiting illegal burning and possession or use of flammable materials in forests, and refraining from using fire during outdoor activities."