Number of summer wildfires rises as temperatures do the same

Wildfires are breaking out across Korea as temperatures approach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), with the prolonged heat and drought leaving forests increasingly dry and vulnerable to fire.

A wildfire broke out in Gurye County, South Jeolla, at approximately 9:58 a.m. on Friday, according to the Korea Forest Service (KFS) and fire authorities — only a day after another broke out in Hamyang County, South Gyeongsang, and Muju County, North Jeolla, in the afternoon.

Both were extinguished within an hour and burned less than 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of land.

Earlier, a wildfire broke out on a mountain in Dalseong County, Daegu, at around 5:18 p.m. on Monday and was extinguished within approximately 30 minutes. That same day, a fire at a waste recycling facility in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang, spread to a nearby mountain before firefighters brought it under control about an hour later.

Three wildfires also broke out in Ulju County, Ulsan, between July 24 and Sunday.

A fire in a reed field near the Mangyeong River in Gimje, North Jeolla, on Saturday burned about 200 hectares before it was extinguished 17 hours later.

Summer wildfires have become increasingly common in recent years. The number of wildfires recorded between June and August rose from 12 in 2023 to 35 in 2024 and 46 in 2025, according to the KFS.

Korea has already recorded 31 summer wildfires this year as of Friday.

Experts blame the extreme heat and drought, which have reduced moisture levels in forests.

Daegu received 165.1 millimeters (6.5 inches) of rain during June and July — only about 40 percent of the 411.7 millimeters recorded during the same period last year. Similarly, South Gyeongsang received 162 millimeters of rain over the two months, just 33.5 percent of its usual 483 millimeters. Ulsan recorded only 28 millimeters of rainfall in July, about 12 percent of its average of 234.1 millimeters.

Rising temperatures are also increasing wildfire risks, as a 2-degree Celsius increase in average temperatures raises the likelihood of wildfires by 13.5 percent, according to the KFS.

“Korea’s forests hold an amount of water equivalent to 10 times the capacity of Soyang Dam [in Gangwon],” Nam Sung-hyun, a former minister of the KFS, explained. “But prolonged drought and extreme heat rapidly reduce moisture levels in trees and forests, which increases the risk of wildfires.”

Other countries have also seen an increase in summer wildfires as temperatures rise.

“Korea is no longer a haven from the large summer wildfires that have recently occurred in Europe and the United States,” Nam added.

In response, local governments are stepping up wildfire prevention efforts.

Daegu expanded its specialized wildfire response team in July to strengthen its emergency response capacity. South Gyeongsang urged cities and counties to establish comprehensive summer wildfire prevention plans.

Such preventive measures are unusual during the summer because prevention efforts typically focus on the period from autumn through the following spring.

With fewer dedicated wildfire personnel assigned during the summer, Ulsan has turned to its forest disaster response team. The team, which responds to both wildfires and landslides, will inspect firefighting vehicles and run training exercises throughout the summer.

Anyone responsible for starting a wildfire can face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($21,100) under the Forest Protection Act, even if the fire was caused by negligence.

“During the summer, prolonged drought and high temperatures can dry out fallen leaves in forests, which could ignite a wildfire with a small spark,” a KFS official said. “We urge the public not to burn trash or smoke in or near forested areas.”

BY KIM BANG-HYUN [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]