This year, wildfire suppression personnel and equipment will be significantly expanded, and an inter-agency cooperation system at the government-wide level will be strengthened. These measures are in response to the increased frequency of wildfires and growing concerns over the spread of large-scale wildfires due to climate change.
On January 19, the Korea Forest Service announced the '2026 National Comprehensive Wildfire Prevention Plan' at the Government Daejeon Complex, outlining these key initiatives.
Kim Inho, Commissioner of the Korea Forest Service, is announcing the '2026 National Comprehensive Wildfire Prevention Plan' at the Government Daejeon Complex on the 19th. Provided by the Korea Forest Service
The comprehensive plan includes a significant expansion of wildfire response capabilities, particularly in terms of suppression personnel and resources. This year, the Korea Forest Service will increase the number of elite aerial firefighters from 104 to 200 and the number of special wildfire disaster suppression teams from 435 to 555.
Additionally, 76 new multipurpose wildfire suppression vehicles, which have greatly improved water capacity and mobility, will be introduced and deployed. These vehicles are equipped with large-capacity water tanks and are particularly effective for wildfire suppression in Korea’s mountainous terrain.
Prompted by the large-scale wildfires in Uljin and Samcheok in 2022, high-performance foreign wildfire suppression vehicles were initially introduced on a trial basis. To address the high import costs and burdensome maintenance, a research and development project was launched to localize the vehicles, successfully achieving domestic production in 2024. The vehicles are equipped with ambulance functions, self-protection through onboard water spraying, and water cannon capabilities.
To further strengthen aerial firefighting capabilities, the number of helicopters deployed to wildfire sites will also be increased. This year, the Korea Forest Service will introduce one new large helicopter with a 10,000-liter water capacity and will lease five medium-sized helicopters from overseas, each with a total capacity of 20,000 liters, to operate during the spring wildfire prevention period.
In particular, the number of helicopters mobilized across government ministries will be significantly increased from 216 to 315. The golden time system will be integrated, ensuring that the helicopter closest to the wildfire site arrives within 30 minutes, and that all helicopters within a 50-kilometer radius can be deployed to the scene, thereby enhancing the speed of wildfire response.
Two National Wildfire Prevention Centers will be established and operated in the East Coast and southern regions (Uljin and Hamyang). During the spring wildfire prevention period, a National Wildfire Response Situation Room will be operated continuously, staffed by officials from relevant agencies such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the military, the National Fire Agency, the National Police Agency, and the Korea Meteorological Administration. This is also included in the comprehensive plan.
This year, the wildfire response system will be reorganized from the existing four stages to three stages. In addition, the authority of city, county, and district heads to mobilize suppression resources from neighboring agencies will be expanded. In situations where there is a risk of disaster, the Commissioner of the Korea Forest Service will take command from the outset, enabling proactive and overwhelming wildfire suppression activities. When a wildfire occurs, the heads of National Forest Management Offices and National Wildfire Prevention Centers will be required to respond immediately, regardless of whether the forest is national or private, thereby strengthening national responsibility.
Furthermore, the Korea Forest Service will begin supporting the shredding of agricultural by-products, which was previously concentrated in the spring, from the post-harvest period before wintering. Regulations will also be revised to allow trees within 25 meters of buildings to be felled without a permit, thereby strengthening wildfire prevention and minimizing damage. Penalties and fines for illegal activities related to wildfires will also be increased this year.
Kim Inho, Commissioner of the Korea Forest Service, stated, "Wildfires are a disaster that can be prevented if everyone makes an effort. The Korea Forest Service will do its utmost to focus on wildfire prevention activities and, in the event of a wildfire, will protect public safety through proactive and overwhelming response."
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