As dry autumn weather raises the risk of wildfires, Gwangju Metropolitan City has activated an emergency response system, deploying 10 firefighting helicopters and 1,162 personnel for wildfire prevention and initial response.
Starting November 13, fines for illegal burning in areas adjacent to forests will increase to a maximum of 3 million won, and criminal penalties for causing wildfires through negligence will also be significantly strengthened, necessitating heightened vigilance.
Gwangju Metropolitan City announced that it will operate a wildfire prevention headquarters for 45 days until December 15, focusing administrative efforts on wildfire prevention and rapid on-site response.
The headquarters will involve a total of 28 agencies, including the metropolitan city and 27 districts, aiming for initial wildfire response within 30 minutes by activating both aerial and ground firefighting systems.
To this end, 10 firefighting helicopters have been deployed across 11 regions, including the Gwangju area, expanding from the previous 10 regions used in spring. The early deployment of helicopters was completed by October 23.
Ground firefighting capabilities have also been enhanced.
A total of 1,162 personnel from the Forest Disaster Response Team will be stationed at wildfire sites, and pre-checks have been completed for 54,000 pieces of firefighting equipment, including firefighting vehicles, mechanized firefighting systems, and 47 drones.
Given that the initial response to a wildfire can significantly impact the extent of damage, emphasis has been placed on establishing a rapid cooperation system between helicopters and ground personnel.
Legal measures for wildfire prevention will also be strengthened.
According to the metropolitan city, the revised Forest Disaster Prevention Act, effective November 13, will raise the maximum fine for unauthorized burning in forest-adjacent areas from 2 million won to 3 million won.
Additionally, penalties for causing wildfires through negligence will be increased from a maximum of three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won to a maximum of five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.
Crackdowns on illegal burning of agricultural byproducts and household waste, identified as a cause of wildfires, will continue.
Gwangju Metropolitan City reported that during the last spring season, 86 cases of illegal burning of agricultural byproducts and household waste within 100 meters of forest-adjacent areas were detected, resulting in fines totaling 29 million won.
Furthermore, efforts will be made to expand prevention campaigns and on-site inspections to prevent wildfires caused by negligence, such as careless handling of heating devices like wood-burning stoves and flammable materials in workplaces.
Support programs for the collection and shredding of agricultural byproducts will also be implemented to help farmers manage waste without burning.
Farmers needing to dispose of agricultural byproducts such as pepper stalks, sesame stalks, soybean stalks, and fruit tree pruning branches can apply for assistance through their local administrative welfare centers or agricultural technology centers.
The cooperation system among wildfire response agencies has also been reviewed.
Previously, a joint wildfire response training exercise was conducted in Suncheon and Naju, involving 430 officials from 13 relevant agencies, including police stations, fire departments, the Western Regional Forest Service, the Yeongam Forest Aviation Management Office, and Korea Electric Power Corporation.
The training assessed response procedures based on hypothetical wildfire scenarios, including resident evacuations and combined aerial and ground firefighting.
Kang Shin-hee, Director of the Forest and Garden Bureau of Gwangju Metropolitan City, stated, "Through the operation of the wildfire prevention headquarters, we will maintain a comprehensive response system from prevention to initial firefighting, doing our utmost to protect the lives and property of citizens and our precious forests."
He added, "We urge citizens to refrain from illegal burning and storing flammable materials in forests, and to strictly adhere to wildfire prevention guidelines, including managing embers from wood-burning stoves."
Meanwhile, autumn wildfires pose a significant risk due to dry weather and fallen leaves, making even small sparks capable of igniting forests.
Particularly, burning agricultural byproducts or starting fires outdoors near forested areas can lead to large-scale wildfires, highlighting the need for both community preventive efforts and ongoing inspections by relevant authorities.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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