Yeongju City Activates Spring Wildfire Prevention Headquarters

by Jo Chunghyeon

Published 31 Jan.2025 10:55(KST)

Updated 01 Aug.2025 13:54(KST)

Total Commitment to Prevention, Monitoring, and Suppression from February 1 to May 15

Yeongju City (Mayor Park Nam-seo) announced on the 31st that it will operate a wildfire prevention headquarters during the spring wildfire caution period (February 1 to May 15) to prevent wildfires and respond swiftly.

The city plans to hire 148 personnel, including specialized wildfire prevention and suppression teams and wildfire monitors, to strengthen wildfire prevention publicity and monitoring activities and to fully commit to wildfire prevention efforts.

Yeongju City is conducting wildfire-related training for the specialized wildfire prevention and suppression team and wildfire monitors.

This year, to preemptively block the burning of agricultural residues and field ridges, which are major causes of wildfires, the city will install wildfire prevention banners in key areas and implement shredding of agricultural residues using wood shredders to fundamentally prevent illegal burning.

Additionally, a ‘Special Wildfire Prevention Period’ will be operated during key times to establish a thorough wildfire prevention system. Six teams of specialized wildfire prevention and suppression personnel and 92 wildfire monitors will be deployed to major wildfire-prone areas to intensively crack down on illegal burning and conduct guidance activities simultaneously. In particular, if agricultural residues or field ridges are burned within 100 meters of forest-adjacent areas or if a wildfire is caused, fines will be imposed and strict legal action will be taken.

Furthermore, to ensure rapid response in case of wildfire occurrence, the city is fully equipped with wildfire suppression helicopters and firefighting equipment, and has established a cooperative system with related organizations such as fire stations to maintain an initial response posture.

Geum Du-seop, Director of the Forestry Division, said, “Due to the dry weather in spring, there is a high risk of wildfires spreading into large-scale fires, so we ask for the active voluntary cooperation and interest of residents for wildfire prevention.”

Yeongju City is conducting training for the specialized wildfire prevention and suppression team and wildfire watchers.