On April 28, 2025, a forest fire erupted on Hamji Mountain in Daegu, a city located approximately 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The fire was extinguished nearly 23 hours later, but not before it consumed 260 hectares of land and forced over 2,000 residents to evacuate. Unfortunately, the situation worsened as the fire reignited in some areas of the mountain on the evening of the same day. By April 30, the flames had spread dangerously close to residential neighborhoods, driven by strong winds.
As of 5:50 PM local time on April 30, a fire line stretching about 2.1 kilometers had formed, threatening densely populated areas with apartment buildings. In response, the National Fire Agency (NFA) issued an evacuation order for residents near Hamji Mountain. Approximately 190 personnel and 41 helicopters were deployed to combat the blaze, although the total scale of the fire remains undetermined.
This incident follows a catastrophic series of forest fires that began in late March 2025 in Uiseong, South Korea, which devastated nearly 36,000 hectares and resulted in at least 26 fatalities. This event has been recorded as the largest single forest fire in South Korean history, surpassing the previous record of 24,000 hectares burned in a forest fire in March 2000.
On May 1, 2025, scientists weighed in on the alarming trend of forest fires in South Korea, suggesting that climate change is likely making these severe fires more than twice as likely to occur, particularly during the month of March. The fires that ravaged southeastern South Korea for nearly a week killed 32 individuals and destroyed around 5,000 buildings before firefighters managed to bring them under control.
According to a group of 15 researchers from the World Weather Attribution group, their analysis of observational data combined with climate models indicated that hot, dry, and windy conditions are expected to occur more than twice as often, with an intensity increase of 15% due to climate change. June Yi Lee, a researcher at the Climate Science Research Center at Pusan National University, noted that South Korea typically experiences cold, dry winters, with temperatures rising rapidly in March and April, making the country particularly vulnerable to fires during this time.
Lee pointed out that the average temperature from March 22 to March 26, 2025, was over 10 degrees Celsius higher than usual in southeastern South Korea. This unusual warmth, combined with low-pressure and high-pressure systems in the north and south, generated strong winds that exacerbated the spread of the fires.
The research team also warned that extreme weather conditions leading to forest fires could become increasingly common if global warming continues on its current trajectory, with predictions of an additional 1.3 degrees Celsius rise in temperature by 2100. Clair Barnes, a researcher at the Imperial College London, mentioned that models forecast an increase in the intensity of similar large fires by approximately 5%, with the likelihood of such events doubling.
Moreover, the ongoing forest fires have raised concerns about South Korea's large-scale afforestation program that has been in place since the 1970s. According to Theo Keeping from the Leverhulme Centre for Wildfire Research at Imperial College London, this program may have inadvertently made the country more susceptible to forest fires. He emphasized the need for adjustments in forest management practices to prevent risks and develop appropriate strategies to tackle the challenges posed by extreme heat.
In light of these recent events, the government and relevant agencies are urged to reassess their strategies in managing forest resources and prepare for an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires. The situation calls for a comprehensive approach that includes preventive measures, community preparedness, and further research into the impacts of climate change on South Korea's environment.
As the fires continue to pose a significant threat to life and property, the urgent need for effective firefighting resources and community awareness cannot be overstated. The recent spate of wildfires serves as a stark reminder of the growing challenges posed by climate change and the importance of proactive measures to mitigate its effects.
