All-Out Nighttime Response to Miryang Wildfire...High-Capacity Water Cannon System Deployed

Issuance of National Fire Mobilization Order

The fire authorities are conducting overnight firefighting operations on the night of the 24th in response to a wildfire that broke out in a wooded hill area in Geomse-ri, Samryangjin-eup, Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province.

The National Fire Agency stated that, in relation to the Miryang wildfire that started at around 4:10 p.m. on the 23rd, it is currently focusing all efforts on nighttime firefighting and the protection of nearby homes and facilities.

The fire authorities, concerned that the fire, which started midway up the mountain, could spread, issued Fire Response Level 1 at around 5:00 p.m. the same day. As the likelihood of the fire intensifying increased, they issued a National Fire Mobilization Order at 5:39 p.m. and urgently mobilized firefighting resources from the Busan and Ulsan regions.

Accordingly, a total of 18 additional vehicles, including 10 fire pump trucks and 8 water tankers, were deployed, and 16 fire vehicles from Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province that had been mobilized for the Hamyang wildfire were also redirected to the Miryang site, concentrating all available firefighting resources there. The agency explained that it is rapidly assembling firefighting power at the national level and focusing on preventing the spread of the fire from the initial stage.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, the National Fire Agency deployed a large-capacity water cannon system at a long-term care hospital near the wildfire site in Samryangjin-eup, Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, and is conducting large-scale preemptive watering to guard against the spread of the fire.

In particular, the National 119 Rescue Headquarters has forward-deployed a high-capacity water cannon system from the Ulsan 119 Chemical Rescue Center, capable of spraying 45,000 liters per minute, to conduct large-scale preemptive water spraying to counter fire lines approaching a long-term care hospital and nearby homes close to the wildfire site.

The high-capacity water cannon system is a specialized piece of equipment capable of discharging large volumes of water in a short time and is being used as a key response tool to protect residential areas and vulnerable facilities.

Specialized response units, including the Yeongnam 119 Special Rescue Unit of the National 119 Rescue Headquarters and the Chungju and Gumi 119 Chemical Rescue Centers, have also been deployed to the site to support ground-based firefighting.

At present, 273 firefighting personnel and 76 firefighting vehicles have been deployed, focusing on building defensive lines and conducting preemptive water spraying. The authorities are working closely with the Korea Forest Service and other relevant agencies to do their utmost to prevent the wildfire from spreading during the nighttime hours.

In addition, to minimize the physical fatigue of the crews caused by prolonged on-site operations and to ensure their safety, five disaster recovery vehicles from Busan, Daegu, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, and the Yeongnam 119 Special Rescue Unit of the National 119 Rescue Headquarters have been deployed to the scene to provide rest and recovery support.

Acting Commissioner Kim Seungryong of the National Fire Agency said, "By issuing the National Fire Mobilization Order and deploying the high-capacity water cannon system, we are preemptively blocking the spread of the wildfire," adding, "We will mobilize all available firefighting resources and do our utmost to protect the lives and property of the public."

According to the Miryang city government, as of 8:00 p.m. on the 23rd, 110 people, including inpatients at a long-term care hospital near the wildfire area and residents of three villages, had evacuated to their homes and to Samrangjin Elementary School, and no human casualties had been reported.