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Daeju issues evacuation alerts as Mount Hamji wildfire flares back up

Published: 30 Apr. 2025, 20:03

On the morning of April 29, the second day of the wildfire on Mount Hamji in Daegu’s Buk District, a firefighting helicopter draws water from the nearby Geumho River. [NEWS1]

A wildfire that reignited on Mount Hamji in Daegu’s Buk District has grown rapidly due to strong winds, prompting evacuation alerts and a national firefighting mobilization order on Wednesday.

As of 7:53 p.m., the fire has affected 728 acres of the area.

According to forest authorities, the initial fire broke out at 2:01 p.m. on Monday and burned 642 acres before being brought under control after 23 hours. However, it reignited at around 7:31 p.m. that evening, approximately six and a half hours later, with flames 30 meters (98 feet) high forming near Baekryeon Temple on the upper slope of the mountain.

Firefighting authorities deployed 43 helicopters, 374 personnel and 33 apparatuses, including fire engines, at sunrise to suppress the blaze.

Forestry officials stated that the renewed fire initially remained within the original burn zone and was considered residual, with no major spread by Wednesday morning. However, the fire proved difficult to fully extinguish, repeatedly flaring up throughout the day. By the afternoon, strong gusts reaching speeds of 5 to 10 meters per second (11 to 22 miles per hour) helped spread the flames, with smoke rising from multiple nearby areas.

At 5:13 p.m., the Buk District Office issued an emergency evacuation message to 3,414 residents from 2,164 households, advising them to evacuate immediately to nearby schools as the wildfire was spreading.

Officials and residents are now hoping for rain that is forecast for Thursday. According to weather reports in Daegu, 5 to 10 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) of rain is expected in the fire-affected area between noon and midnight on Thursday.

“Fallen leaves continue to catch fire, causing persistent smoke,” said a Buk District official. “Rain tomorrow and about a week of cleanup work will likely be needed to fully extinguish the fire.”

On Wednesday morning, the National Institute of Forest Science, police and Daegu city officials conducted a joint on-site inspection to determine the fire’s origin. Investigators traced burn marks on trees and rocks and identified an isolated grave site on Mount Hamji as the ignition point.

The site is located 300 to 400 meters off a narrow mountain path beyond a hiking trail — an area not easily accessible to the public.

“The ignition point we identified is a place that people don’t usually visit unless they have a specific purpose. There was also a lot of trash around,” said an official from the institute. “We need to investigate whether the fire was caused by arson or accidental negligence.”

However, much of the area has been heavily damaged by the fire and suppression efforts, and there are no surveillance cameras covering the mountain trails, making it unclear whether physical evidence will be found to determine the exact cause.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY BAEK KYUNG-SEO [[email protected]]