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Korea must reinforce its wildfire response as climate risks grow

Published: 08 Apr. 2025, 00:01

Nam Sung-Hyun

The author is a distinguished professor at Kookmin University and former minister of the Korea Forest Service

The recent large-scale wildfires that scorched the mountains of North and South Gyeongsang provinces were the most extreme I have personally experienced. Around the world, massive wildfires are becoming more frequent and unpredictable due to the worsening climate crisis. Korea must take this disaster as a warning and undertake a full review of its wildfire response systems.

Wildfires spread in Andong, North Gyeongsang, on March 25. [NEWS1]

Wildfire management generally consists of three stages: prevention, suppression and recovery. Among them, prevention is the most important. Spring is the most vulnerable season, with wind, humidity, and temperature all creating favorable conditions for wildfires. In Korea, wildfires are predominantly human-caused, making them both social disasters and natural ones.

Over the past 20 years, the volume of forests in Korea has tripled. That also means a sharp increase in the amount of combustible material. The main causes of wildfires remain the same each year: accidental fires by mountain hikers, the burning of crop residues and field edges, and trash incineration. While natural factors may be unavoidable, human-caused wildfires must be reduced as much as possible. Governmentwide collaboration is needed to replace open burning with mulching and shredding of farm waste.

Preventive measures must be strengthened according to the causes of wildfires. These include enhancing AI-based ICT platforms that monitor and detect wildfire risks, expanding mountain weather observation networks and upgrading real-time wildfire monitoring systems. Forest management projects such as thinning and pruning must be scaled up to reduce potential fuel for fires.

In the suppression phase, the key is initial response — putting out fires within the critical “golden time” of 50 minutes to prevent them from spreading. Equipment, personnel and infrastructure must be strengthened to enable effective firefighting from both the air and the ground.

Although around 200 helicopters from the government, military and private sector can be mobilized for wildfire suppression, most have a capacity of only 500 to 3,000 liters (132 to 792 gallons). However, more important than the number of helicopters is the capacity of each aircraft.

The Korea Forest Service currently operates seven helicopters with a water capacity of 8,000 liters and 29 with 3,000 liters. However, to handle large-scale wildfires, the country must acquire at least 10 helicopters capable of holding 10,000 liters. These large helicopters cost around 55 billion won ($37 million) each, but investing in them is essential for national safety and disaster response.

A helicopter carries out wildfire extinguishing measures in Hadong, South Gyeongsang, on March 28. [NEWS1]

On the ground, high-performance wildfire response vehicles are also needed. The Forest Service currently has 29 such vehicles, each costing about 800 million won. At least 100 should be secured. In addition, the current pool of around 10,000 wildfire suppression personnel must be significantly expanded. The Forest Service currently employs airborne and special ground fire crews, and local governments operate seasonal wildfire prevention teams. However, many of these personnel are hired temporarily during the wildfire season and lack long-term employment stability.

Under the Forest Disaster Prevention Act set to take effect in February next year, the government plans to integrate responses to wildfires, landslides and forest pests into a single “Forest Disaster Response Unit.” To make this effective, personnel should be employed year-round, not just during the fire season. This would allow for professional training and capability development.

Forest roads, known as ‘Im-do,’ must also be expanded to ensure adequate ground access for firefighting operations. The need for these roads has already been proven, but Korea’s forest road density is only one-tenth that of advanced forestry nations. It must be expanded to reach the levels in countries like Germany and Japan. Firefighting roads at least five meters (16 feet) wide should be built first in regions especially vulnerable to wildfires.

To prevent casualties, the emergency evacuation system must be thoroughly revised. Emergency disaster text alerts are often ineffective in rural and mountain villages, especially for elderly residents. Each village should be equipped with a smart broadcasting system that can deliver emergency evacuation instructions, even indoors. Local government officials and village heads must be mobilized to provide house-to-house evacuation guidance at least two hours before fires reach residential areas.

A golf course in Andong, North Gyeongsang, is seen blackened by wildfires on March 29. [YONHAP]

In the recovery phase, wildfire response must address not only forest restoration but also compensation for loss of life and property. Recovery efforts in forested areas must be planned in consultation with experts, local governments and residents, with both emergency and long-term restoration measures to prevent secondary damage.

Wildfire countermeasures should now be treated as part of national security and public disaster preparedness. The challenge lies in securing the necessary budget. Even the most well-crafted plan will be meaningless if not properly funded. Urgent needs should be addressed first through supplementary budgets and emergency funds. Without swift action, good plans will remain empty promises. The Finance Ministry and political leaders must respond quickly and decisively.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.