Minister Orders All-Out Response to Gwangyang Wildfire: "Preventing Casualties Is Top Priority"

Yonhap News Agency

As a wildfire in Gwangyang City, South Jeolla Province continued to spread, Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Ho-jung issued an urgent directive for an all-out response.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on January 21, the wildfire, which broke out at around 3:31 p.m. that day, continued to expand. The Korea Forest Service issued Wildfire Response Level 1 at 4:30 p.m., but the fire persisted into the night. The fire authorities have now declared Response Level 2 and are conducting firefighting operations.

Minister Lee ordered all relevant agencies, including the Korea Forest Service, National Fire Agency, South Jeolla Province, and Gwangyang City, to swiftly deploy all available equipment and personnel to focus on the early containment of the wildfire.

He also instructed Gwangyang City to establish a Regional Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and to promptly and thoroughly evacuate residents from areas at risk from the wildfire. He emphasized that the highest priority should be placed on preventing casualties, including taking proactive measures such as establishing firebreaks.

In addition, Minister Lee stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of nighttime firefighting personnel, including the special wildfire suppression teams.