Wildfire in Gangneung 10% Contained... Damage to Facilities and Forests Expands

by Jeong Ilwoong

Published 11 Apr.2023 14:11(KST)

The wildfire in Gangneung is spreading rapidly due to strong winds, and the containment rate is not improving easily. Meanwhile, the scale of damage to facilities and forests is also increasing.

A wildfire that started around 8:30 a.m. on the 11th in the hills of Nangok-dong, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, is spreading to nearby residential areas, intensifying the flames. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the forestry authorities on the 11th, as of 1:30 PM, the containment rate of the Gangneung wildfire stands in the 10% range. At the site, strong winds with an average speed of 15 m/s and a maximum gust of 22 m/s are reported, making firefighting efforts difficult.

The wildfire started at around 8:30 AM in Nangok-dong, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, and as of 1:30 PM, it has caused the complete destruction of 17 houses, 12 pensions, 4 hotels, and 1 vehicle.

Nearby residents totaling 303 people have evacuated to locations such as Ice Arena and Sacheon Middle School.

The forestry authorities predict that the wind speed will continue to range between 14 m/s and 20 m/s into the afternoon.

Due to the strong winds, helicopters initially planned to be deployed at the site are currently on standby near the wildfire area. The forestry authorities intended to deploy six helicopters, including a super-large helicopter, around 9 AM, but the actual deployment was not possible due to gusts exceeding 30 m/s in the morning.

However, 14 helicopters are currently stationed near the wildfire site, ready for immediate deployment once the winds subside.

A total of 1,299 personnel and 111 pieces of equipment have been mobilized to contain the wildfire spread.

Meanwhile, as of 1:30 PM, the wildfire-affected area is 370 hectares (168 hectares of forest), and the remaining fire line is 7.9 km out of a total 8.8 km (0.9 km has been contained).