Dry Weather Continues... Pohang City Intensifies Special Activities to Prevent Wildfires

Wildfire Disaster Elevated to National Crisis, Wildfire Prevention Response

Increased Monitoring Personnel, Preventive Publicity, and Penalties Enforcement

Pohang City has stepped up its full-scale response to prevent forest fires as the national crisis alert level for forest fire disasters has been raised from ‘Interest’ to ‘Caution’ due to persistent strong winds and dry weather in spring.

This year, 29 forest fires have occurred in the province, causing damage to 138.56 hectares, raising awareness about forest fires. With dry weather expected to continue for the time being, special activities to prevent forest fires will be strengthened.

Pohang City operates situation rooms in the frontlines of forest fire prevention in towns, townships, and neighborhoods, and has deployed 319 forest fire watchers and specialized firefighting teams not only at hiking trail entrances and forest-adjacent areas but also at 347 locations handling wood boilers, 108 livestock farms, and 66 temples (hermitages), which are vulnerable to forest fires. They promote bans on carrying fire in forests, burning in forest-adjacent areas, and caution in handling fire sources, imposing fines for violations.

In addition, a forest fire prevention council has been formed with related agencies such as the fire station, police station, Marine 1st Division, Naval Aviation Command, Korea Gas Corporation, and Korea Electric Power Corporation to jointly respond from the early stages of forest fire occurrence, making every effort to ensure early suppression and minimize damage.

Moreover, the city operates a helicopter golden time system to respond within 30 minutes from forest fire reporting to water dropping, and mutually supports helicopters with nearby cities such as Gyeongju and Yeongcheon from the early stages of forest fires.

Since November 15 last year, Pohang City has designated 33,764 hectares, accounting for 43% of the city’s forest area, as a restricted entry zone and closed 31.6 km of hiking trails in 7 sections except for the section from Hongunsa Temple to Unje Mountain. When the national crisis alert level for forest fire disasters is raised to ‘Warning’ or ‘Serious,’ the city plans to deploy one-sixth to one-fourth of all employees to vulnerable forest fire areas.

Also, centered on towns, townships, and neighborhoods, the city is actively conducting the ‘Green Village Campaign Without Burning Forest Fires’ to strengthen publicity to prevent the burning of garbage and agricultural residues near forests.

The city plans to strengthen forest fire prevention activities by attaching forest fire caution stickers, conducting public awareness campaigns during business trips and at major hiking trails to prohibit carrying fire sources, and will provide regular forest fire prevention education at forest management sites such as forest cultivation projects.

On November 15th last year, a wildfire prevention pledge performance was held at the Citizen Safety Resolution Rally for Wildfire Prevention.

Lee Chang-jun, Director of the Greenery Division, said, “Since 52% of forest fires occur due to burning of agricultural residues and cigarette butts in forest-adjacent areas, Pohang City plans to strictly crack down, including imposing fines,” and urged, “As prevention is most important for forest fires, please actively participate in forest fire prevention by being cautious in handling fire sources in forest-adjacent areas.”

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