Gwangyang Wildfire Fully Extinguished After 19.5 Hours... Area Equivalent to 70 Soccer Fields Burned

Completely Extinguished by 10:30 AM
Evacuation Order Lifted... Residents Return Home

At around 3:02 PM on the 21st, a fire broke out at Baegunsan Mountain in Okgok-myeon, Gwangyang City, Jeollanam-do, and the fire and forestry authorities are carrying out firefighting operations. Provided by Jeollanam-do Fire Headquarters

The large-scale wildfire in Gwangyang, Jeollanam-do, which led to the issuance of a national firefighting mobilization order, was completely extinguished after 19 hours and 30 minutes.

According to the Korea Forest Service and Jeollanam-do Fire Headquarters on January 22, the fire started at a house in Mukbaek-ri, Okgok-myeon, Gwangyang City, at around 3:02 PM the previous day and spread to a nearby hill. It was fully extinguished by 10:30 AM on the same day.

Fortunately, there were no casualties from this wildfire, but approximately 48 hectares of forest were lost. In addition, the house where the fire started (97.65 square meters) was completely destroyed, and immediately after the fire, 601 nearby residents were urgently evacuated to locations such as the township office. As the fire was brought under control, Gwangyang City lifted the evacuation order for residents at noon on that day.

The fire spread rapidly due to dry weather and strong northwesterly winds. At the time, a dry weather advisory was in effect for the Gwangyang area, and the temperature was minus 1 degree Celsius.

The fire authorities arrived at the scene within five minutes of receiving the report, but as the flames intensified, they issued the first response level at 3:48 PM and the second response level at 4:31 PM. Then, at 5:05 PM (according to the National Fire Agency), a national firefighting mobilization order was issued, mobilizing firefighting resources from across the country for an all-out response.

The forestry and fire authorities deployed 48 helicopters, 421 pieces of equipment, and more than 4,300 personnel to fight the blaze. Especially at night, a Surion helicopter equipped with a thermal imaging camera was used to monitor the fire line in real time, and special firefighting units were deployed to battle the fire throughout the night.

By around 9:30 AM, the authorities succeeded in bringing the main blaze under control, and an hour later, at 10:30 AM, they declared the fire completely extinguished.

The forestry authorities have now shifted to mopping up and monitoring for residual fires, and, together with the police, are investigating the exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.