March Records Highest Number of Fires Annually, Sharp Increase in Wildfires Including Sanbul
6 out of 10 Fires Caused by Negligence, Special Caution Needed for Cigarette Butts and Trash Burning
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has urged special caution in fire prevention as more fires occur in March than in the winter months.
According to the Ministry on the 4th, from 2015 to 2019, there were 214,467 fires reported, resulting in 1,558 deaths and 9,865 injuries. Among these, March recorded the highest number of fires in the year at 11.6% (24,959 cases), and the number of casualties was the second highest after January, the coldest winter month, with 1,194 people affected (177 deaths, 1,017 injuries).
In particular, forest fires surged. March forest fires increased 3.4 times (3,867 cases) compared to the monthly average of 1,151 cases. Additionally, fires in sales and business facilities (such as department stores), industrial facilities (factories, warehouses), and lifestyle services (restaurants, pubs) occurred at levels equal to or higher than those in winter.
In March, 6 out of 10 fires (63.8%, 15,692 out of 24,959 cases) were caused by minor carelessness, making the rate of careless fires the highest of the year. Among causes of carelessness, cigarette butts accounted for the largest share at 26.9%, followed by burning of garbage at 20.3% and burning of fields at 13.4%.
In response, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety emphasized that to prevent fires during the dry weather in March, smokers should use designated smoking areas as much as possible and must ensure cigarette butts are completely extinguished before disposal outdoors.
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Kim Jong-han, Director of the Prevention and Safety Policy Division, stated, “With the recent dry weather continuing and strong winds blowing, even a small fire can spread rapidly. Since many fires start from very minor mistakes, it is important to practice basic safety rules.”
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