Yeongwol Wildfire 'Main Fire Extinguished After Fierce Battle'... 80ha of Forest Lost

Deployment of Monitoring Personnel to Prevent Recurrence

Firefighters deployed to the wildfire site in Yeongwol [Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] The main fire of the wildfire in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, which had continued for five days, has been successfully extinguished.

The forestry authorities announced on the 8th that "the main fire of the wildfire that started on the 4th in Oeryong-ri, Gimsatgat-myeon, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province has been extinguished."

According to the authorities, the Yeongwol wildfire destroyed 80 hectares of forest (equivalent to 112 soccer fields). Thirty-four residents were evacuated, but there were no casualties or property damage.

The Yeongwol wildfire began around 12:45 p.m. on the 4th in Oeryong-ri, Gimsatgat-myeon, and spread rapidly due to strong winds.

The authorities deployed seven firefighting helicopters and 450 personnel, and after struggling to extinguish the main fire, it was put out after approximately 93 hours.

In particular, due to the 40 to 45-degree slopes and rocky mountains, it was difficult for firefighting personnel to access the area, resulting in a higher reliance on helicopters compared to other regions.

With the main fire extinguished, the authorities plan to deploy monitoring personnel to prevent re-ignition and investigate the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage.

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