All Resources Mobilized to Extinguish Milyang Wildfire... Record 57 Helicopters and Over 1,800 Personnel Deployed

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The government announced on the 1st that it is deploying all available resources, including 57 helicopters, to extinguish the wildfire in Miryang, Gyeongnam.

The government is mobilizing the highest level of available resources relative to the scale of the wildfire. A record number of 57 helicopters have been deployed, surpassing the 51 helicopters used during the wildfires in Gyeongbuk and Gangwon last March. Additionally, a total of 1,796 personnel from forestry, firefighting, military, and police agencies have been dispatched.

The Korea Forest Service declared a 'Level 3 Wildfire Alert,' and the National Fire Agency issued Nationwide Fire Mobilization Order No. 1, deploying firefighting personnel and resources from four nearby metropolitan cities?Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, and Gyeongbuk?to the Miryang area.

The Miryang wildfire started around 9:25 a.m. the previous day on the mid-slope of Hwasan in Chunhwa-ri, Bubuk-myeon, Miryang City, spreading rapidly driven by strong winds with a speed of 4 m/s (maximum instantaneous speed of 11 m/s).

This wildfire was recorded as the latest large-scale wildfire in the past 20 years, occurring amid an unprecedentedly dry weather period.

As of 3:30 p.m. on the same day, the containment rate stood at 60%, and the affected wildfire area is estimated to be 356 hectares.

Fourteen temporary shelters have been set up for evacuated residents, and local governments and private organizations are providing emergency relief kits and food supplies. So far, no casualties or facility damages have been reported.

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