Frequent Large Spring Wildfires Begin from 'Small Sparks'

Gyeongsangnam-do Wildfire Prevention Headquarters Operates Special Measures Period for Large Wildfires

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Saeyan] As the risk of forest fires increases due to the start of spring farming activities and the rise in hikers, the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters has launched efforts to prevent spring forest fires and respond to initial firefighting.

Every spring (March to April) is the period with the highest frequency of forest fires due to hot, dry weather and strong winds, and there is a very high risk that small sparks can lead to large-scale forest fires.

Accordingly, the province has designated the period from the 13th of this month to the 18th of next month as a special large forest fire countermeasure period and will strengthen the operation of the Forest Fire Prevention Countermeasures Headquarters.

They will increase personnel working in the forest fire situation room and deploy seven forest fire-fighting helicopters to conduct aerial surveillance and patrols by region.

About 2,000 forest fire watchers will be deployed to vulnerable forest fire areas, and mechanized forest fire-fighting teams and wide-area forest fire-fighting teams will be organized and operated to prepare for nighttime forest fires.

From the early stages of forest fire occurrence, the integrated command authority (mayor or county governor) will oversee the site, and in cooperation with related agencies such as fire stations, they plan to respond with full force to large-scale forest fires.

According to statistics on forest fire causes over the past three years, forest fires caused by arson by visitors and illegal burning account for 67% of all cases.

To address this, they plan to directly visit and educate areas adjacent to forests such as farmland, farm sheds, livestock barns, and houses to fundamentally block small sparks.

In particular, regarding illegal burning of spring rice field and field ridges, farming byproducts, and garbage, the province will operate mobile inspection teams of provincial employees and joint inspection teams composed of city and county forest, agricultural administration, and environmental departments to strictly crack down and impose fines upon detection.

On the 15th, a video conference will be held to discuss measures to prevent large-scale spring forest fires and cooperation plans for initial forest fire suppression.

Meanwhile, according to the 'Forest Protection Act,' during the forest fire caution period, lighting a fire within 100 meters of a forest without permission results in a fine of at least 300,000 KRW. If a forest fire occurs due to this, the offender may face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million KRW.

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