Weekend 'Cheongmyeong·Hansik' Critical Point... Korea Forest Service "Clear and Dry Weather Raises Wildfire Risk"

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Korea Forest Service is urging caution against forest fires this weekend. Due to clear and dry weather, and the expected influx of people into forests ahead of Cheongmyeong (April 4) and Hansik (April 5), the risk of forest fires has sharply increased. In previous years, Cheongmyeong and Hansik have been recorded as the periods with the highest frequency of forest fires during the spring forest fire prevention season.

According to the Korea Forest Service and the Forest Science Institute on the 3rd, the average annual number of forest fires occurring around Cheongmyeong and Hansik in early April (March 30 to April 5) from 2010 to 2019 was 31.6 cases, with the damaged forest area reaching 409.9 hectares.

Among these, April 4 to 6, around Arbor Day, is considered the period with the highest frequency of forest fires. Compared to the recent 10-year daily average of 1.2 forest fires and a damage area of 2.35 hectares, April 5, which coincides with Cheongmyeong and Hansik, recorded an average of 8.5 fires and 8.5 hectares of damage annually, which is 7 times more in number and 3.5 times more in damage area than usual.

Graph showing the proportion of forest fires by cause from April 4 to 6 over the past 10 years. Provided by the Korea Forest Service.

In particular, forest fires around Cheongmyeong and Hansik often lead to large-scale forest fires. Representative examples include major forest fires that occurred in Chilgok, Gyeongbuk (April 6, 2009), Yecheon and Yeongdeok, Gyeongbuk (April 1, 2011), and the East Coast of Gangwon Province (April 4, 2019).

Above all, this year, Cheongmyeong and Hansik fall on the weekend, raising concerns about forest fires more than usual. With the expected large influx of visitors to the mountains during Cheongmyeong and Hansik, combined with the Korea Meteorological Administration’s forecast of nationwide maximum temperatures rising to 13°C to 21°C and dry air this weekend, the risk of forest fires is expected to increase further.

Additionally, the fact that many farmers near forests burn fields and paddies ahead of the busy farming season also acts as a negative factor for forest fire occurrences.

For example, over the past 10 years, on April 5, the proportion of forest fires by cause was 41% due to burning, 37% due to visitors’ carelessness, and 16% due to grave visitors’ carelessness. This means that 9.4 out of 10 forest fires on this day were caused by minor negligence.

Therefore, the Korea Forest Service plans to strengthen preventive activities by cause in preparation for the increase in forest fires during Cheongmyeong and Hansik. This includes activities to eradicate burning in agricultural villages adjacent to forests, management of park cemeteries, recreational areas, and restricted mountain entry zones, as well as control and adjustment of shooting training involving fire during the Cheongmyeong and Hansik period.

Park Jong-ho, the Commissioner of the Korea Forest Service, recently presided over the "National Wildfire Safety Officers Meeting (Video Conference)." The meeting was attended by 28 related organizations, including 16 city and provincial wildfire management agencies excluding Daegu City, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Fire Agency, the Korea Meteorological Administration, and the Cultural Heritage Administration. Photo by Korea Forest Service

Furthermore, the Forest Fire Prevention Headquarters will maintain an emergency duty operation system according to the national crisis alert for forest fire disasters, focusing its capabilities on ground and aerial guidance, enforcement, and effective forest fire suppression activities. Specialized ground firefighting personnel and monitoring staff will be fully mobilized and deployed on site, and forest firefighting helicopters from the Korea Forest Service and local governments, along with helicopters from the Fire Agency and Ministry of National Defense, will collaborate organically to ensure effective initial forest fire suppression activities.

Park Jong-ho, head of the Korea Forest Service, said, “Every year around Cheongmyeong and Hansik, the frequency of large forest fires increases and simultaneous multiple fires occur frequently. Reflecting this situation, the Korea Forest Service plans to simultaneously strengthen both preventive and post-response activities by cause of forest fire occurrence.”

He added, “In relation to forest fires, preventive and preparatory activities are as important as the suppression process itself. Especially nowadays, public interest and participation in preventing forest fires are more important than ever.”

Meanwhile, in Korea, Hansik is set as the 105th day after the winter solstice, and it is a custom to maintain and visit ancestors’ graves on this day. Cheongmyeong is the fifth solar term of the 24 solar terms, entering the lunar March, meaning the sky gradually clears. Cheongmyeong often coincides with Arbor Day on April 5.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.