Chungnam Strengthens Wildfire Monitoring with 'Spring Wildfire Prevention Period' Operation

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province has designated the period until May 15 as the "Spring Wildfire Prevention Period" and is strengthening wildfire monitoring and prevention activities.

According to the province on the 1st, during the spring wildfire prevention period, wildfire prevention task forces will be established in 216 organizations including the province, cities, counties, and towns/villages to carry out fire prevention activities during the peak wildfire months of March and April.

March and April are the months with the highest number of wildfires throughout the year due to dry weather and strong winds. For example, over the past 10 years, an average of 134 wildfires occurred annually in Chungnam during March and April, resulting in an average loss of 47.8 hectares of forest. The number of wildfires during this period accounts for 54% of the annual total, and the damaged area accounts for 78%. Last year, 35 wildfires occurred in March and April, causing 4.27 hectares of forest damage.

The main causes of wildfires are arson by visitors to the mountains (47%) and careless acts such as littering, cigarette butts, and arson by visitors paying respects at graves (22%).

In response, the province will operate 63 unmanned surveillance cameras in the mountains to strengthen the monitoring system for spring wildfire prevention.

Additionally, to enable rapid initial firefighting, three leased helicopters will be deployed and stationed in advance in areas such as Cheonan, Gongju, and Hongseong.

Efforts to reduce agricultural and rural village burning activities, which are identified as one of the main causes of wildfires, will also be carried out simultaneously. The province plans to expand and encourage participation in the "Green Villages Without Wildfires" campaign targeting 3,250 villages in the jurisdiction to voluntarily stop burning, and strengthen monitoring activities by concentrating 1,475 surveillance personnel in wildfire-prone areas.

Separately, the province plans to strictly punish wildfire offenders regardless of intent or negligence in accordance with relevant laws. The laws stipulate that those who cause forest fires by negligence may face imprisonment of up to three years or fines of up to 30 million won.

Lee Sang-chun, head of the Forest Resources Division of the province, said, "During the spring wildfire prevention period, we ask everyone to refrain from smoking in forests and adjacent areas, as well as all burning activities such as burning rice paddies, field edges, and agricultural waste." He added, "Especially, if you discover a wildfire, please report it immediately to the forestry department or fire station."

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