Forest Fire in Gyeongju, South Korea: A Crisis That Triggered National Firefighter Mobilization

On the afternoon of February 7, 2025, local time in South Korea, a forest fire broke out in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. What started as a small spark quickly escalated into an extraordinary emergency, forcing authorities to activate unprecedented response protocols in the region.

Rapid Spread and Declaration of National Emergency

The fire spread rapidly. As the flames advanced uncontrollably, South Korea’s firefighting department was compelled to issue a nationwide mobilization order in the early hours of February 8. According to reports from Jin10, this decision was not arbitrary: the local wind speed reached 9.5 meters per second, providing an invisible fuel that exponentially accelerated the fire’s expansion. It became clear that local response capacity would be insufficient.

Inter-Regional Coordination and Massive Deployment of Resources

The national mobilization order triggered an unprecedented chain of response. Firefighters and specialized teams were deployed from five regions: Daegu, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gangwon-do, and Chungcheongnam-do. By 5:30 a.m. on February 8, the teams began large-scale firefighting operations. The deployment was monumental: 40 helicopters flew over the area, 104 fire trucks were strategically positioned, and nearly 300 firefighters worked on the ground to contain the flames.

The Unexpected Turn: When the Wind Comes Back to Bite

Despite heroic efforts, the elements did not cooperate. The containment rate had reached a promising 60% during the early hours of operation. However, by noon, the effects of persistent wind caused a dramatic turn: containment dropped sharply to just 23%. This setback highlighted the magnitude of the challenge: it was not only about fighting the fire but also battling the natural forces fueling it. The national firefighter mobilization order thus became a symbol of a South Korea facing a crisis that demanded coordination across multiple jurisdictions and extraordinary resources.