Careless behavior responsible for 49.5 percent of all fires, 83.1 percent of wildfires from 2015 to 2024

This March 26 photo shows a gas station in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, which was destroyed by massive wildfires in the southeastern region. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)
This March 26 photo shows a gas station in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, which was destroyed by massive wildfires in the southeastern region. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)

About half of all fires across Korea between 2015 and 2024 occurred because people were careless, according to statistics from the National Fire Agency on Tuesday.

The annual report categorized the causes of 405,977 fires that took place during that 10-year period, with "carelessness" accounting for the most at 49.5 percent, or 200,931. It far surpassed other leading causes such as faulty wiring, overloaded circuits or other electrical issues (23.9 percent), or mechanical causes (10.5 percent), such as overheating of devices due to mechanical failure.

Among fires caused by carelessness, defined as any fire started unintentionally due to negligence, some 30.6 percent of such fires, or 61,408, were ignited by discarded cigarettes, followed by 16.3 percent of fires that started while cooking. Another 13.4 percent were caused by neglecting a small spark or flame, while 12.9 percent were caused while burning garbage.

The report also showed that 83.1 percent of the 9,343 wildfires that occurred in the past 10 years could be attributed to carelessness.

Rural residents burning waste has been a problem in Korea, having recently caused one of the largest wildfires in the country's history. An investigation of the wildfires that killed and injured dozens in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, in March, found that one of the fires was started by a farmer burning waste from his orchard.

Another fire in South Chungcheong Province in June, caused by a farmer burning agricultural waste, was contained in the early stages, but the person who caused the fire died from smoke inhalation.

Of the 3,132 people who lost their lives due to fires from 2015 to 2024, 723 (23.2 percent) died as a result of flames started due to carelessness, the report also showed. Some 40.5 percent of all fire injuries -- 8,199 out of 20,252 -- were attributed to fires caused by carelessness.


minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com