Gov't activates accident management headquarters early to deal with wildfires amid dry weather

Dry weather has raised the risk of wildfires in rural areas, prompting the government to preemptively activate its Central Accident Management Headquarters, moving up this year’s spring wildfire caution period.

Firefighters conduct a nighttime operation to contain a wildfire in Yangyang County, Gangwon, on Nov. 23. [NEWS1]

Dry weather has raised the risk of wildfires in rural areas, prompting the government to preemptively activate its Central Accident Management Headquarters, moving up this year’s spring wildfire caution period.

The Korea Forest Service and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety are taking proactive steps to prepare for spring wildfires under a joint interagency comprehensive wildfire plan announced in October last year, according to the agencies on Tuesday.

The decision reflects heightened wildfire danger as dry conditions persist, particularly along the East Coast. A recent example came on Jan. 10, when a fire broke out on a wooded hillside in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang, and was fully extinguished after 18 hours.

The Korea Forest Service moved up the start of the spring wildfire caution period from Feb. 1 to Tuesday. It will run through May 15. The Central Accident Management Headquarters also begins operating Tuesday to help deal with large-scale wildfires.

The headquarters will set up a national wildfire response situation room and establish a joint response system with relevant agencies, including the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Fire Agency and the National Police Agency.

Embers from a wildfire that started the previous day continue to burn on a wooded hillside in Uiseong-eup, North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 11. [YONHAP]

In line with the move, the Interior and Safety Ministry will operate a response support headquarters during the caution period to help the Korea Forest Service-run headquarters manage wildfire situations, coordinate with related agencies and support broader disaster response efforts, including resident evacuations.

The two agencies said they will divide roles while maintaining close coordination to strengthen a whole-of-government response system for spring wildfires.

“Countering wildfires has limits if handled by just one agency,” the agencies said. “With the two ministries at the center, we will work with relevant ministries and local governments to reinforce a joint response system and do our utmost to protect the public’s lives and property from wildfires.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]