Yeonggwang Fire Station Urges Caution to Prevent Firewood Boiler Fires in Winter

[Yeonggwang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jeonseong] Jeonnam Yeonggwang Fire Station (Chief Lee Dalseung) recently urged caution to prevent fires as the use of wood-fired boilers has increased due to the rapid drop in temperature.

According to the fire station on the 12th, wood-fired boilers, which have a high fire occurrence rate, use wood as fuel and have high thermal efficiency, making it easy for fire to spread to adjacent combustible materials. When located near forests, there is a high risk of wildfire expansion, and sparks left after burning often cause fires.

Based on last year’s data, there were a total of 33 heating device-related fires in the province: 20 from wood-fired boilers, 9 from electric and gas heaters, 3 from hot air blowers, and 1 from electric heating pads, showing that wood-fired boilers caused the most fires among heating devices.

The Enforcement Decree of the Fire Services Act stipulates that for the location, structure, management, and fire prevention of boilers and similar devices, parts of steam engines or chimneys in contact with combustible walls, floors, or ceilings must be covered with fire-resistant insulation materials such as diatomaceous earth or asbestos.

Additionally, the distance between the boiler and walls or ceilings must be at least 0.6 meters, among many other requirements to be observed.

Violations are subject to fines under the Fire Services Act.

Lee Jeongho, head of the Prevention and Safety Division, said, “Wood-fired boilers can easily start fires from small carelessness,” and added, “Do not pile combustible materials, keep fire extinguishers nearby, and maintain thorough upkeep through regular cleaning to ensure a safe winter.”

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