South Korea needs to swiftly help people hit by wildfires, overhaul response system

South Korea has suffered the worst wildfire disaster in its history in the past week, which has left a horrifying scar on the country’s southeastern region. The unprecedented destruction and the casualties not only saddened people across the nation but also raised serious questions about South Korea’s capacity to handle large-scale natural disasters like wildfires.

The massive wildfires, which started March 22 and spread rapidly to ravage North Gyeongsang Province for a week, were largely contained as of Friday. But firefighters had to deal with wildfires reignited in other parts of the province early Saturday. And another large wildfire in South Gyeongsang Province was yet to be fully contained as of early Sunday.

The scale of the destruction is staggering. According to the Korea Forest Service, the wildfires are estimated to have burned around 48,000 hectares of woodland — an area nearly 80 percent of the size of Seoul. The wildfires also destroyed an estimated 4,000 structures, including Gounsa, a centuries-old Buddhist temple.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said Saturday the death toll from the fires reached 30, with dozens of people injured.

As for the initial cause of the wildfires, police said Sunday that they have booked a 56-year-old man for allegedly causing a fire at a family grave in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, that quickly spread to nearby cities including Andong due to strong winds and dry conditions. Authorities must conduct a thorough investigation to identify the exact causes of the multiple fires that engulfed different parts of the southeast.

First and foremost, the government must act swiftly to help people impacted by the wildfires and start implementing recovery efforts in the affected areas. Once relief efforts are completed, policymakers must look into what went wrong with the nation’s wildfire response system and seek to overhaul related policies, measures and organizations.

The primary reason for reform is the growing risks related to wildfires. Experts predict that South Korea is likely to face more ferocious wildfires partly because climate change is intensifying in a way that raises temperatures and generates dry conditions more often. Government data shows a troubling pattern. The average number of annual wildfires was 238 in the 1980s. By the 2020s, that figure surged to 580.

Over the past three years, wildfires have raged for an average of 204 days per year, suggesting that they are no longer seasonal but a year-round threat. Projections indicate that if global temperatures rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius, wildfire risk will increase by 8.6 percent.

Considering the shifting nature of wildfires, the government must step up regulations on flames and the use of fire in at-risk areas that can lead to massive wildfires.

One area that needs investment from the government is large-capacity firefighting helicopters in consideration of the growing severity of wildfires. It is regrettable that the helicopter that crashed during the latest firefighting efforts was made 30 years ago.

Relying on temporary hires from the local elderly population to form wildfire response teams is far from viable, as painfully demonstrated by the latest wildfires. South Korea must professionalize its firefighting workforce, ensuring that trained specialists, not ad hoc recruits, are on the front lines.

The wildfires in the past week also underscore the urgent need for stronger safeguards to protect vulnerable communities. To minimize casualties, authorities must establish preemptive measures for those living in high-risk areas. Local governments should identify at-risk individuals — such as older people and people with disabilities — and develop tailored evacuation plans with dedicated support personnel.

Moreover, no one should be left behind in the aftermath of a disaster due to bureaucratic hurdles or a lack of information. The government must ensure that all affected people can access wildfire relief programs without delay.


koreadherald@heradcorp.com