Gyeonggi Province Launches "Special Countermeasures Period for Large-Scale Wildfires" Starting on the 14th

Gyeonggi Province has designated the period from March 14 to April 19 as the "Special Countermeasures Period for Large-Scale Wildfires" and will implement a strict zero-tolerance policy against wildfire perpetrators.

The province plans to deploy over 1,700 wildfire monitoring personnel and utilize 250 wildfire surveillance cameras to intensively crack down on the burning of waste and agricultural by-products in areas adjacent to forests.

Since a significant number of wildfires are caused by human factors such as waste burning and accidental fires started by visitors, Gyeonggi Province will thoroughly track down perpetrators and respond strictly in accordance with the zero-tolerance principle.

The Gyeonggi Province Forest Disaster Response Team is conducting wildfire suppression training on Paldal Mountain in Suwon on the 12th. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

Earlier, on the 12th, a man in his 40s committed a series of arson attacks, simultaneously setting fires at seven locations around Paldal Mountain, which surrounds Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The suspect has been urgently apprehended by the police, and an arrest warrant has been requested.

According to current law, anyone who intentionally causes a wildfire may be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of one year to 15 years. Even if a wildfire is caused by negligence, the perpetrator may face severe penalties, including imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.

Meanwhile, to prevent spring wildfires and enable a swift response, Gyeonggi Province has moved up the start of its spring wildfire prevention period by about 10 days compared to the original plan, designating January 20 to May 15 as the period for heightened wildfire awareness. During this time, the province is operating the Wildfire Countermeasures Headquarters and coordinating with cities and counties through a situation room.

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