Level-2 National Firefighting Mobilization Order Issued as Munmudaewang-myeon Wildfire Spreads in Gyeongju

A Level-2 National Firefighting Mobilization Order has been issued for a wildfire that broke out in Ipcheon-ri, Munmudaewang-myeon, Gyeongju-si, North Gyeongsang Province.

The National Fire Agency announced that it issued the Level-2 National Firefighting Mobilization Order at around 3:30 p.m. on the 8th, as the wildfire in Munmudaewang-myeon spread due to strong winds and dry weather conditions.

Yonhap News Agency

The wildfire was first reported at around 9:40 p.m. on the 7th. In preparation for possible spread, the fire authorities issued Fire Response Level 1 at 10:11 p.m. the same day and began initial suppression efforts.

As the wildfire expanded further due to the weather conditions, the fire authorities issued the first-stage National Firefighting Mobilization Order at 11:33 a.m. on the 8th, followed by an additional Level-2 Mobilization Order at 3:30 p.m.

Following the issuance of the first-stage National Firefighting Mobilization Order, five special 119 response units and 25 personnel from five metropolitan and provincial governments, including Daegu, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gangwon, and South Chungcheong, were urgently deployed to the scene to halt the spread of the wildfire and establish defensive lines.

The National Fire Agency said it immediately activated an emergency response team and dispatched on-site situation controllers to strengthen the command-and-control system, and additionally deployed disaster recovery vehicles from Ulsan, Daegu, and Busan to establish a foundation for long-term response.

Under the Level-2 Mobilization Order, five wildfire-specialized suppression vehicles, 20 fire engines, and 10 water tankers from five nearby metropolitan and provincial governments, including Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang, and Changwon, were additionally dispatched to significantly reinforce ground-based suppression capabilities. Large-scale equipment and personnel are being intensively deployed to protect residential areas and key facilities and to block further spread of the flames.

Kim Seungryong, Acting Commissioner of the National Fire Agency, said, "We will fully mobilize firefighting capabilities nationwide to decisively block the spread of the wildfire and concentrate all our resources on ensuring the safety of residents and protecting key national facilities," adding, "We will maintain full alert until the end and thoroughly manage the site to minimize damage."