Central America's Green Heart, a Difficult Fight Against Wildfires

 

South Korea's wildfire suppression equipment has been introduced in Guatemala, a Central American country known as 'Land of Trees' or 'Forest of Trees' in ancient indigenous languages. With over 30% of its land area covered by forests, a size similar to South Korea (approximately 108,000 km2), Guatemala possesses rich forest resources but is highly vulnerable to frequent wildfire disasters.

In particular, the damage has been severe, with approximately 73% of all fires recorded as wildfires during the dry season that began in December 2023. Additionally, some of the 32 volcanoes in the country are actively impacting the surrounding forests. Following the 2018 Fuego volcano eruption which caused over 400 casualties, volcanic debris (material ejected from a volcanic eruption) continues to be spewed out recently, putting forest management on high alert.

South Korea's 'Green ODA' Bears Fruit with Tailored Equipment Support 

To strengthen Guatemala's capacity to respond to such forest disasters, the Korea Forest Promotion Institute (KOFPI), under the Korea Forest Service, has stepped forward. The KOFPI Guatemala Office recently held a ceremony to donate South Korean wildfire suppression equipment to the local forest authority.

The supported equipment ranges from essential personal protective gear—such as fire-retardant suits, gloves, and boots—to items crucial for field operations, including backpack pumps, multi-purpose fire rakes, radio transceivers, and anemometers. Notably, KOFPI first introduced some of the equipment in November of last year for pre-verification with the Guatemalan forest authorities. This process is reported to have led to the final selection of customized equipment with enhanced local adaptability.

Joint Response to Climate Crisis Through Continued Forestry Cooperation 

South Korea's support of wildfire suppression equipment is not a one-off aid but part of a continuous Official Development Assistance (ODA) project in the forestry sector. Since last year, the Korea Forest Service and KOFPI have been consistently implementing forestry ODA projects in Guatemala, including the establishment of wildfire and forest pest management systems.

The goal is to leverage South Korea's successful forestation experience and advanced technology to reduce forest damage and enhance wildfire management capabilities in Guatemala. Choi Moo-yeol, President of KOFPI, stated, "We anticipate that South Korean equipment will help reduce forest damage in Guatemala," and added, "We will continue to strengthen cooperation between the two nations to enhance Guatemala's wildfire management capacity."

This support is considered a practical example of South Korea's 'Green ODA' policy—a concrete effort to assist developing countries vulnerable to climate change with forest disaster management—and is being hailed as a model case for a joint global response to the climate crisis.