Evolution at night, 744 manpower input… Forest fire affected area estimated at 20㏊
At one time, 374 residents escaped… Waiting for an ambulance to transport 50 patients in a nursing hospital
On the 28th, a fire of unknown cause broke out in a hill in Waryong-ri, Pungyang-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and extinguishing work is in full swing. 2023.2.28 Yonhap News
On the 28th, regarding 370 residents were evacuated due to a forest fire in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province. While the forest fire mobilization order ‘forest fire stage 2’ was issued, the forest authorities began to extinguish at night.
According to the Korea Forest Service and the Gyeongbuk Provincial Fire Headquarters, a forest fire of unknown cause broke out at around 3:55 pm on the same day in the hills of Waryong-ri, Pungyang-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. The forest authorities issued a forest fire mobilization order ‘forest fire stage 2’ and an evacuation order for residents.
The second stage of forest fire is lowered when the average wind speed is less than 4 to 7 m per second, the expected damage area is less than 30 to 100 hectares, and the expected extinguishing time is less than 8 to 24 hours. 100% of forest fire extinguishing helicopters from competent and adjacent agencies, 100% of firefighting crews from jurisdictions, and 50% of firefighting crews from adjacent agencies will be deployed to the forest fire site. It is the first time that a forest fire response step has been issued in North Gyeongsang Province since the forest fire in Geunnam-myeon, Uljin-gun in May last year.
Smoke rises from the scene of a fire of unknown cause that broke out on the 28th in the hills of Waryong-ri, Pungyang-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. 2023.2.28 Yonhap News
On the 28th, a fire of unknown cause broke out in a hill in Waryong-ri, Pungyang-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and extinguishing work is in full swing. 2023.2.28 Yonhap News
As of 8:20 pm, the evolution rate is 40%, and the area affected by the forest fire is estimated to be regarding 20 ha. A westerly wind with an average wind speed of 2 m/s is blowing at the site.
Currently, 59 people are evacuated. In Hoeryongpo Green Experience Village, 52 people related to facilities for the disabled residing in Paradise Village and 7 residents in Naksang 2-ri Senior Citizens’ Center took refuge. At around 6:20 pm, when the length of the flames reached 1.2 km, 374 residents, including 92 people in Naksang 3-ri, 152 people in Oji-ri, 68 people in Paradise Village, and 55 people in Lotus Village, were evacuated. Currently, most of them have returned home safely, the administrative authorities have identified.
At one point, the flames spread and almost hit the temple of Deoksanjeongsa in Pungyang-myeon, but the site integrated command headquarters announced that it succeeded in suppressing it right before.
On the 28th, a fire of unknown cause broke out in a hill in Waryong-ri, Pungyang-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and extinguishing work is in full swing. 2023.2.28 Yonhap News
On the 28th, a fire of unknown cause broke out in a hill in Waryong-ri, Pungyang-myeon, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and extinguishing work is in full swing. 2023.2.28 Provided by the Gyeongbuk Fire Department
The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters requested an emergency standby at four hospitals in the area, including Andong Hospital, to transport immobilized patients at a nursing hospital for the elderly near Lotus Village by ambulance in preparation for an unexpected situation related to this fire. It is known that regarding 50 patients, including severely ill patients, are living in the hospital.
A total of 12 wildfire extinguishing helicopters, including one super-large helicopter, were put in by nightfall. A total of 744 people and 33 equipment are putting out the fire on the spot, including 26 forest fire special extinguishers, 54 professional prevention extinguishers, 250 civil servants, 267 firefighters, 40 police officers, 30 forest service firefighters, and 42 soldiers.
Kim Hak-dong, the head of Yecheon County, who is in charge of the field integrated command headquarters, said, “It is night and the wind has died down, so the flames are not spreading.” In Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province, a dry warning has been in effect since the 25th.
Reporter Kwon Yoon-hee
