Wildfire Emergency... Government Issues National Statement: "Wildfire Damage Area 16 Times Larger Than Last Year"

Joint "National Statement on Wildfire Prevention" Issued by Seven Government Ministries
Dry Weather and Increased Outdoor Activities... Rising Wildfire Risks
Crackdown on Illegal Burning Strengthened... Zero-Tolerance Measures Implemented

"The last line of defense against wildfires lies in what we practice in our daily lives. The lives and safety of our neighbors depend on each and every action you take."

Yun Hojung, Minister of the Interior and Safety. Yonhap News

On the 13th, seven government ministries, including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Justice, jointly issued a "National Statement on Wildfire Prevention."

This year, the wildfire crisis alert level was raised to "Alert" already in January for the first time, reflecting heightened wildfire risks. As of February 10, the number of wildfires that have occurred this year is 1.7 times higher than during the same period last year, and the affected area has increased by as much as 16 times.

Dry weather is expected to continue for the time being, mainly along the East Coast and in the Yeongnam region. In Busan, Ulsan, and the South Gyeongsang region, this year's precipitation remains at less than 3% of the annual average. In particular, with the dry conditions and increased outdoor activities such as visits to ancestral graves around the Lunar New Year holiday, the risk of wildfires is expected to grow even further.

In response, the government issued the statement to call for active public participation in wildfire prevention, including a ban on illegal burning, in order to block large-scale wildfires in advance.

The government asked the public to: ▲ refrain from carrying lighters or other flammable materials when entering the mountains for activities such as visits to ancestral graves during the Lunar New Year holiday ▲ avoid any behavior that could generate sparks, such as cooking or smoking ▲ refrain from burning agricultural residues or garbage in areas close to forests ▲ immediately report to 119 or 112 upon detecting smoke or embers.

The government moved up the spring wildfire prevention period from the originally planned February 1 start date to January 20. The Korea Forest Service has activated the Central Disaster Response Headquarters early, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety has done the same with its Countermeasure Support Headquarters.

For early-stage wildfire suppression, all available helicopters from the Korea Forest Service, the military, fire authorities, and local governments are being deployed, with all manpower and resources being fully mobilized.

Meanwhile, the government plans to prevent large-scale wildfires in advance through swift and all-out response from the initial stage of any fire, and to ensure thorough evacuation of residents to minimize casualties. It will strengthen crackdowns on careless acts such as illegal burning, and violators will face strict action under the relevant laws based on a zero-tolerance policy.