Second Fire Service Mobilization Order as Hamyang Wildfire Spreads... Focus on Aerial Firefighting

Government Adopts Zero-Tolerance Policy on Illegal Burning and Cigarette Butt Littering

The National Fire Agency issued the second nationwide fire service mobilization order in the early morning of the 23rd to extinguish the main fire of the wildfire in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. A nationwide fire service mobilization order is issued by the Commissioner of the National Fire Agency when it is difficult to respond to disasters such as fires with the firefighting capacity of a single province or metropolitan city alone, or when it is deemed necessary at the national level to deploy firefighting resources to a disaster site.

According to fire authorities and others, the containment rate of the wildfire in the Hamyang-gun area, which had remained in the 30% range in the morning, rose to 69% as of 12:00 noon. The fire and forest authorities focused on aerial firefighting by sequentially deploying 52 firefighting helicopters from sunrise, while on the ground, 119 firefighting vehicles and 820 firefighting personnel were deployed to press the fire line.

Wildfire scene in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. Korea Forest Service

The wildfire-affected area stands at 232 hectares, and firefighting has been completed along 5.5 kilometers of the total 8.0-kilometer perimeter. So far, one vinyl greenhouse has been completely destroyed by fire and 164 residents have been evacuated. As the wildfire-affected area has exceeded 100 hectares, this wildfire is expected to be recorded as the first large-scale wildfire of the year.

Despite the rugged terrain, including steep slopes and rocky areas, the fire and forest authorities succeeded in preventing the spread of the affected area by improving the efficiency of helicopter operations. The National Fire Agency stated, "In cooperation with related agencies such as the Korea Forest Service, we will fully deploy both aerial and ground forces during daytime today," adding, "In particular, to ensure thorough extinguishment of the main fire and complete mop-up of remaining embers, we have concentrated the deployment of wildfire-specialized firefighting vehicles equipped with hose reels."

Meanwhile, the government decided to respond strictly on the basis of zero tolerance to illegal acts that cause wildfires, such as illegal burning and the discarding of cigarette butts. Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Hojoong held an emergency meeting at the Government Complex Seoul to urgently review the joint response status of related agencies regarding the wildfire in Hamyang-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, and other wildfires that occurred over the weekend, and stated, "Wildfires broke out in some 20 locations nationwide over the weekend. With drier-than-usual weather and strong winds continuing, a single small spark can develop into a large-scale wildfire."