Gyeongbuk Uljin Wildfire, Crisis Alert 'Severe'... Korea Forest Service "Focusing on Nuclear Plant Protection"

Photo of the Uljin wildfire site observed from an urban roadside. Provided by the Korea Forest Service

[Asia Economy (Uljin) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] A forest fire has broken out in Uljin, Gyeongbuk, and the forestry authorities have begun firefighting efforts. Above all, they are mobilizing all available personnel and equipment on site to prevent the fire from spreading to the Uljin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant.

According to the Central Forest Fire Prevention Headquarters of the Korea Forest Service on the 4th, the fire started around 11:17 a.m. in the area of 289 Ducheon-ri, Buk-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongbuk.

The forestry authorities have urgently deployed 43 forest firefighting helicopters and 717 firefighters to the site to extinguish the fire.

In particular, at 2:10 p.m., the head of the Korea Forest Service simultaneously issued a ‘Level 3 Forest Fire’ alert and a ‘Severe’ forest fire disaster crisis warning.

Accordingly, the forestry authorities are focusing on preventing the spread of the fire by mobilizing all available forest firefighting helicopters at the metropolitan level (100%), all firefighting personnel from the jurisdictional agencies (100%), and half of the personnel from adjacent agencies.

The Korea Forest Service's super-large helicopter is dropping fire retardant from the air. Photo by Korea Forest Service

Above all, the forestry authorities urgently deployed the Korea Forest Service’s super-large helicopter equipped with a liquid retardant to the site to prevent the fire from spreading near the Uljin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant. They are conducting firebreak operations by concentrating the aerial application of fire retardant in the direction the fire is spreading to stop the advancing fire.

Currently, the Uljin forest fire is spreading through dry mountainous terrain under strong southwesterly winds with instantaneous maximum speeds exceeding 20 meters per second. Because of this, the forestry authorities explain that the fire has spread to the nearby hills around the Uljin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant, more than 10 km away from the initial fire outbreak point.

So far, no structural damage has been reported from the Uljin forest fire. However, due to concerns about the fire spreading, 3,995 residents from 2,215 households in the vicinity have evacuated to elementary schools, village halls, and township offices.

Nam Tae-heon, Deputy Director of the Korea Forest Service, said, “As the fire is rapidly spreading, damage to nearby homes and facilities is a concern. We ask local residents to pay close attention to disaster broadcasts issued by the forestry authorities and Uljin-gun and to respond according to the guidance.”

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