Not a single major wildfire occurred during this year's special countermeasure period against large wildfires, and the area damaged by wildfires fell sharply.
The Korea Forest Service operated a special countermeasure period against large wildfires from March 14 to April 19 and carried out fire prevention efforts. As a result, no major wildfire occurred this year, compared with an annual average of two during the same period over the past 10 years, the agency said Monday.
During the period, 98 wildfires broke out, down 42 percent from the average of 168 over the past 10 years (2016–2025). The damaged area was 24 hectares, just 2.1 percent of the 2016–2025 average of 1,148 hectares (excluding the Yeongnam wildfires). Including the damage from last year's major wildfires in the Yeongnam region (11,483 hectares), the figure stood at just 0.2 percent.
In addition, 267 wildfires have occurred since January 1 this year, down 20 percent from the 10-year average of 335. The damaged area was 748 hectares, just 21.1 percent of the 10-year average of 3,545 hectares (excluding the Yeongnam wildfires). Including the damage from the major wildfires in the Yeongnam region (13,946 hectares), it stood at 5.4 percent.
Looking at the causes of the 98 wildfires that occurred during the special countermeasure period, burning of rice paddy and field ridges and burning of garbage was the most common at 13 cases, followed by accidental fires at worksites at 12, building fires at 10, careless smoking at 7, accidental fires by people entering mountains at 6, and accidental fires by grave-visitors at 6.
During the special countermeasure period against large wildfires, the Korea Forest Service deployed about 14,000 personnel for mobile enforcement, roughly seven times the 2,059 deployed last year, concentrating on wildfire prevention activities. It also strengthened its readiness against wildfires by issuing timely crisis alerts and forward-deploying helicopters.
The pan-government wildfire prevention and suppression system was also operated systematically and efficiently.
As the agency in overall charge of disaster safety, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety operated a wildfire disaster countermeasure support headquarters at all times during the wildfire caution period. It also oversaw and coordinated the pan-government response involving the Korea Forest Service, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Fire Agency, and local governments, and actively promoted publicity activities such as on-site wildfire prevention campaigns and media interviews to raise awareness of wildfire risks.
The Ministry of National Defense deployed 143 military helicopters for wildfire suppression, an increase of 94 from the 49 in 2025, and forward-deployed four Chinook helicopters—two each in Daegu and Sokcho, which face high wildfire risk—to respond swiftly to wildfires.
The National Fire Agency dispatched personnel to the scene at the same time wildfires broke out to support initial suppression, and, together with the Korea Forest Service, extinguished 139 fires in areas adjacent to forests to prevent them from spreading into wildfires.
The Korea Meteorological Administration dispatched weather analysts to the Korea Forest Service's national wildfire response situation team, providing weather information on wildfire ignition points to support a swift and systematic response to wildfires.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Development Administration supported the shredding of agricultural byproducts to eliminate causes of illegal burning in rural areas, and conducted education and publicity targeting rural villages to raise awareness of wildfires.
Although the special countermeasure period against large wildfires has ended, the spring wildfire caution period runs until May 15, and major wildfires can break out at any time. The government plans to continue maintaining its all-out wildfire response system and, in particular, to strengthen its wildfire readiness in the greater Seoul area, Chungcheong, and the Yeongseo region of Gangwon, which have relatively low cumulative rainfall.
"Along with the cooperation of the public, weather conditions such as increased rainfall also helped reduce wildfires," Korea Forest Service Minister Park Eun-sik said. "During the remaining wildfire caution period, we will strengthen prevention activities and respond swiftly to actively protect the lives and property of the public from wildfires."
