From Wildfire Disaster to a Miracle of Recovery
South Korea's Leading Model for Wildfire Response
In March 2022, a massive wildfire that broke out in Ducheon-ri, Bukmyeon, Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, swept through more than 14,000 hectares of forest over 213 hours, becoming a nationwide disaster.
However, Uljin did not remain in despair. Three years later, Uljin is now recognized as a 'leading model of disaster recovery,' equipped with the most advanced wildfire response system in the country.
▲ From disaster prevention and response to 'prediction'
After experiencing the large-scale wildfire, Uljin County has devoted itself not only to simple disaster recovery but also to building a future-oriented wildfire response system. Notable examples include the implementation of an AI-based wildfire monitoring system, the establishment of unmanned drone stations, the construction of the National East Coast Wildfire Prevention Center with a budget of 135 billion won, and the successful attraction of the Gyeongbuk 119 Special Wildfire Response Unit. These efforts have drawn attention nationwide as an unprecedented level of wildfire response infrastructure.
In particular, Uljin County has overhauled its response system to enable helicopter dispatch within five minutes of receiving a wildfire report. Additionally, it has established a cooperative helicopter response system with neighboring cities and counties, dramatically strengthening its initial firefighting capabilities.
▲ Moving beyond simple recovery to a 'major forest transformation'
Forest restoration efforts are also going beyond simple reforestation. Uljin County has set a goal of artificial reforestation for about 6,900 hectares out of the 14,000 hectares of affected land and is carrying out phased restoration work through 2027. However, this is being pursued not merely as 'recovery,' but as a major transformation of the forest structure itself.
At the same time, Uljin is working to attract the National Forest Ecology Institute, is promoting a regional wind power complex (with a total project cost of 1 trillion won), and is developing tourism resources such as the East-West Trail utilizing the wildfire-affected areas.
These projects are strategic efforts to address two tasks simultaneously: restoring forest ecology and revitalizing the local economy by creating new growth engines.
▲ The path to recovery built by disaster victims, villages, and the community
More than 90% of the 181 households that lost their homes to the wildfire have moved into new residences. In Shinhwa 2-ri, one of the most severely affected areas, 20 out of 28 households lost their homes, but the village has now nearly returned to normal life.
Uljin County expedited recovery projects focused on improving the living conditions of affected households, helping residents return to daily life more quickly. The county has also actively supported the recovery of local farms by promoting the cultivation of Aralia elata and Zanthoxylum piperitum as alternative crops to pine mushrooms, which were previously a major source of income.
County Governor Son Byeongbok said, "Through this wildfire, Uljin has shown that a national disaster can become an opportunity for regional recovery. Forest restoration is not just about planting trees; it is a process of rebuilding residents' lives and designing the future of Uljin."
He added, "Just as we were able to recover in 2022 thanks to the help of many people across the country, Uljin will not hesitate to provide active support to other affected regions in the future," emphasizing the county's sense of responsibility and solidarity as a model local government for disaster recovery.
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