South Korea wildfires: How strong wind, pine trees and dry land fuelled the blaze

Strong winds, thick forests, and exceedingly dry weather are the ingredients that some experts claim are responsible for South Korea’s largest wildfires in its past.

As of Thursday, the fire in the south-east has burned through 35, 810 acres (88, 500 acres ), which is roughly the size of New York City, killing 27 people so far and forcing tens of thousands to flee.

Authorities believe the wildfires were caused by injury due to human activity, but dry land and powerful gusts sweeping over interior areas are the main contributors to the destruction.

A bush crisis expert claimed that the higher concentration of pine forests in North Gyeongsang state, where the flames are burning, is likewise “oiling” the blaze.

” Pine trees have resin that acts like oil, intensifying fires when ignited,” according to the author. This resin makes wildfires burn more quickly, more effectively, and more,” according to Lee Byung-doo of the Seoul National Institute of Forest Science.

Andong, one of the worst-hit places, is known for its peaceful pine trees.

Pine trees “become dangerous during fire,” according to Mr. Lee, adding that they provide food and shelter for local wildlife and occasionally help to break the weather.

Because there are so many oak trees in South Korea, he said,” the areas are especially vulnerable when flames break out.”

Additionally, oak trees are resistant to” king flames,” wildfires that multiply by igniting the deep canopy of branches and leaves throughout the winter because they retain their knives throughout the winter. This has led to the flames ‘ fast and extensive spread over the past month.

South Korea has increased its jungle support over the past few years, in contrast to neighboring nations like China and North Korea.

The majority of mountains now contain oak trees and fallen leaves… According to Baek Min-ho, a catastrophe prevention expert at Kangwon National University,” this formation has become a major factor in accelerating the multiply of wildfire.”

According to researchers, culture change is also to blame.

The unpleasant reality of a climate crisis is once more exposed by this fire, according to South Korea’s disaster key Lee Han-kyung on Thursday.

For the past few weeks, the ideal setting has been creating, with temperatures rising above 20C ( 68F ), an unusually high springtime high. According to an analysis from Climate Central, a research institute that studies climate science, these higher temperatures have been increased by five times more than by global warming.

Fires spread more quickly as a result of the strange heat, especially when combined with robust winds, drying out the land and air.

Strong winds and deep tree cover likewise present significant challenges for firefighting efforts in the region.

A 73-year-old aircraft died on Wednesday when his firefighting aircraft crashed in Uiseong state. In addition to the fires, at least three different rescuers have died.

According to authorities, the majority of the 26 people who died are in their 60s and 70s. One in five people in South Korea are at least 65 years old, which is an aged world.

It is particularly challenging to leave older people in a catastrophe because they may have mobility problems or other health threats because North Gyeongsang is its second-oldest state, which also accounts for the fairly high death toll.

They might have more trouble interpreting or accessing removal purchases.

On Wednesday, three old care workers died when the vehicle they were driving caught fire. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, only one of the four passengers in the car escaped in time.

Acting President Han Duck-soo ordered the interior minister to travel to North Gyeongsang to handle reduction initiatives, and on Thursday he declared it was “worrying” that many of the patients are older.

A native of Andong who evacuated but lost her home claimed to have caught the fires off their families and neighbors off guard.

The person, who requested anonymity, said,” No one in the town was ready.”

” We had to depart without anything, and everything we have is missing. I hope the government may give temporary shelters where people can stay comfortably because many of the residents are old, she said.

Additionally, traditional remains have been burned to the ground, causing a considerable loss to a region regarded as one of South Korea’s cultural centers.

Two churches, each more than 1,000 years older, are among the jewels in these. The Gounsa temple, one of them, dates back to the Silla dynasty ( 57BC to 935AD ).

Rachel Lee and Jake Kwon did more monitoring in Seoul.