South Korea’s Wildfire Crisis: Emergency Response Enhancements and Government Measures to Combat Climate-Fueled Fires

Devastating wildfire in South Korea Copernicus 2025 03 28

Image Credit – Copernicus Sentinel Data (2025), processed by ESA

Since March 21st, scorching wildfires have been sweeping through the central and southern regions of South Korea. They were fueled by dry conditions and fierce winds and more than 20 wildfires have ignited across provinces like North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, and Gangwon regions.

A new report from Reuters said that on 28th April, A blazing wildfire broke out in Daegu city in South Korea and more than 1200 residents had to evacuate because of it. No casualties occurred in the wildfire in Daegu. This wildfire was initially contained on 29th April at noon, but in the evening, the fire reignited in parts of Mount Hamji in northern Daegu, according to the news from Yonhap News Agency.

On 28th April, the Korea Forest Service said that within just two hours, the wildfire had already scorched about 50 hectares of area, which is roughly the size of 70 football fields. The wildfire spread quickly within 2 hours because of the dangerously dry conditions and heavy winds.

Once the fire had reignited on 29th April evening, it began racing across the mountainside again. The estimated fire line is nearly 2 kilometres but the actual scale of the fire is not determined yet, the Korea Forest Service said, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

Recognizing the need for improved disaster management, the government announced the ‘2025 Comprehensive Countermeasure for Rapid Dispatch at Disaster Sites’ on April 29. This plan aims to enhance coordination among agencies and ensure rapid deployment of resources during emergencies. ​

Speed matters in disasters like this. According to the Korea Fire Agency, the survival rate for victims drops sharply after eight minutes of a fire breaking out. Their goal is to reach any site within seven minutes which is a golden window that could save lives. This data was shared in Chosun Biz, reinforcing the urgent need for faster and more coordinated emergency responses.

In light of these disasters, the South Korean government has also taken a few other measures for effective emergency responsiveness during disasters. The government decided to expand their ‘Emergency Access System’ nationwide which is referred to as 119 pass.

This 119 pass will allow the firefighters to enter the multi-family housing easily with the help of their work mobile phones or radio. Along with this, the installation of traffic control signals will also increase in front of fire stations using a separate switch installed within the fire stations, as reported by Chosun Biz.

These intense and recurring wildfires have laid bare the urgent need for stronger emergency preparedness and not just a seasonal precaution, but as a permanent fixture in South Korea’s national strategy. The blazes are a stark reminder of the growing threat posed by climate change-fueled disasters, pushing the country to rethink how it responds, adapts, and prepares for what’s to come.

Recognising the scale and severity of the wildfire crisis, the South Korean government is preparing to step in with substantial financial support. The Finance Minister announced that a supplementary budget bill of 10 trillion won (roughly $6.8 billion) will soon be submitted not only to strengthen wildfire response and recovery efforts but also to counter the country’s slumping economic growth. As Reuters reported, this proposed financial package reflects a growing acknowledgment that long-term investment in disaster resilience is essential and reactive firefighting alone won’t be enough.

But money alone won’t stop the flames. Experts and officials are urging the integration of smart technologies into the country’s disaster management system. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, this includes rolling out AI-powered platforms to predict and track wildfire risks in real-time, expanding mountain-based weather observation networks, and upgrading digital monitoring tools. The goal here is to catch fires before they spiral out of control and give emergency teams a fighting chance before it’s too late.

This fire season should not be remembered solely for what was lost, but for what it compels us to rebuild, and that is a stronger, smarter, and more fire-resilient future.

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