The wildfire prevention specialists (hereinafter referred to as firefighters) at the Sicheon-myeon wildfire site in Sancheong-gun are busy extinguishing the fire, wiping away their flowing sweat. They are deployed to the wildfire site where helicopters have contained the main fire, removing remaining embers or building firebreaks in areas at risk of fire spread.
Firefighters dispatched from Geochang-gun are working in the area of Duyang Village, Okjong-myeon, Hadong-gun, where the fire crossed over from Sicheon-myeon, Sancheong-gun. Their equipment consists of one firefighting vehicle and personal gear such as backpack pumps. Seven to eight people form a team, traversing the site.
Jeong Seong-heon (60), the team leader of the Geochang-gun firefighters dispatched to the Sancheong Sicheon-myeon wildfire site, said he was heartbroken by the wildfire that had been raging for four days. The wildfire site, where mountains, fields, and villages turn to ashes, is always dangerous and nightmarish, he said. Especially this time, his heart is heavier because a colleague from the Changnyeong-gun firefighters was killed.
Jeong and his firefighters remembered the Changnyeong firefighters they met before the accident. They recalled greeting them in front of the firefighting vehicle during shift changes as if it were today. Due to the ongoing firefighting operations, they couldn't even attend their colleague's funeral, a regret they hoped to shake off the day the fire was extinguished.
Jeong and his team were deployed to the Sancheong site on the afternoon of the 21st, when the wildfire broke out. The Geochang-gun firefighters, organized into three teams, are working in shifts of 8 to 12 hours at the Sancheong wildfire site. When the morning shift finishes, the night shift takes over, maintaining the site. With three teams rotating, they face the wildfire every other day.
Despite the accumulated fatigue from continuous on-site work, Jeong and his team waved their hands, saying they were fine. They said they were not experiencing significant difficulties thanks to the continuous training they had received in preparation for emergencies.
Firefighter Ha Seong-sik explained the perilous situation on the ground. "Especially in large wildfire sites, unpredictable situations occur frequently. The wind can blow upwards along the ridge or sometimes change direction and blow down towards the village. When the wind is strong, sparks can fly over the mountain and ignite another mountain."
He said that it is very dangerous for people without wildfire knowledge to approach the site. Unlike weather forecasts, the wind can suddenly exceed 10m/s, and the wind direction often changes depending on the terrain. He emphasized that responding according to the situation is crucial, with safety being the top priority.
The Hapcheon-gun firefighters, who recently experienced two large wildfires, are also participating in the firefighting efforts at the Sancheong wildfire site. More than half of the 45 Hapcheon firefighters are veterans who have experienced large wildfires. The Hapcheon firefighters, many of whom are in their 50s, worked even harder than other regional firefighters, recalling the nightmarish memories from three years ago.
Kim Yong-bong, the team leader of the Hapcheon-gun firefighters, said that their experience was very helpful, allowing them to work efficiently at the Sancheong wildfire site. He said he was working hard to repay the colleagues from other regions who rushed to help when a large fire broke out in Hapcheon, hoping to contain the fire and help residents return to their daily lives as soon as possible. He emphasized that prevention is the best way to stop nightmarish wildfires, stressing the need to pay attention to even minor details in daily life.
Firefighters dispatched to the Sancheong wildfire site are deployed according to the instructions of the wildfire command center. The command center assesses wind speed and direction, as well as the progress of fire suppression, to deploy firefighters. Firefighters from 10 cities and counties in Gyeongnam are working hard at the Sancheong wildfire site.
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