"National Attention and Affection Needed" Korea Forest Service Appeals to the Public for Wildfire Prevention

Park Jong-ho, the Commissioner of the Korea Forest Service, is recently announcing a comprehensive wildfire prevention plan at the Government Complex Daejeon. Photo by Korea Forest Service

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Korea Forest Service announced a “National Appeal for Forest Fire Prevention” on the 24th, urging the public to take an interest in and participate in forest fire prevention.

The appeal includes a request to refrain from all burning activities inside and around forests, such as burning rice paddies and fields’ edges, agricultural byproduct burning, and illegal incineration of household waste, as well as smoking, and to pay close attention to fire management.

Below is the full text of the “National Appeal for Forest Fire Prevention.”

Dear fellow citizens,

Due to the ongoing dry weather and strong winds, forest fires have been occurring nationwide day after day.

Last weekend, 13 forest fires broke out, including a large fire in Andong that forced 130 residents to evacuate urgently. From the beginning of this year until February 22, a total of 103 fires have occurred, burning an area 1.5 times the size of Yeouido, and the number of incidents has increased by 50% compared to last year.

We have repeatedly experienced cases where neglecting forest fire prevention has escalated into national disasters. In 2000, forest fires on the East Coast, including Samcheok, burned 23,794 hectares of forest, resulting in 850 displaced people and property damage worth 36 billion KRW. In 2005, the Yangyang forest fire destroyed the thousand-year-old Naksansa Temple, and 412 people lost their homes.

Only two years ago, a forest fire on the East Coast of Gangwon Province caused 1,289 displaced people who have yet to return to their homes.

Forest fires that completely destroy local communities’ living spaces start from minor carelessness. Most occur due to arson by visitors or during the burning of agricultural byproducts and waste. Therefore, with just a little attention, they can be sufficiently prevented.

Dear citizens,

Since February 1, the Korea Forest Service has been operating a Central and Regional Forest Fire Prevention Headquarters, focusing all efforts on forest fire prevention, including crackdowns on burning and forward deployment of firefighting helicopters.

Meanwhile, even if a forest fire is caused by negligence, offenders are subject to strong penalties under relevant laws, including imprisonment for up to three years or fines up to 30 million KRW.

However, without the active interest and participation of the public, it is difficult to achieve effective results, so we ask for your cooperation with the following matters.

First, please refrain from burning rice paddies, fields’ edges, or any kind of waste in forests or areas adjacent to forests.

Second, please do not enter restricted forest areas or closed hiking trails.

Third, even in areas where entry is permitted, absolutely do not smoke or handle fire inside the forest.

Dear fellow citizens,

We ask for your special affection and interest in our precious forests and once again appeal for your active participation in forest fire prevention. Thank you.

February 24, 2021 Korea Forest Service Chief Park Jong-ho

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