In Daejeon, reporter Yoo Ui-joo from Yonhap News reports that the Korea Forest Service announced on the 16th that it plans to operate a “Wildfire Prevention Drone Team” within the soon-to-be-launched Korea Forest Disaster Safety Technology Corporation to prepare for the large-scale wildfire special countermeasure period from March 14 to April 19.
The corporation, established by integrating the Korea Wildfire Prevention Technology Association, Korea Erosion Control Technology Association, and the Korea Forestry Promotion Institute’s Forest Pest Monitoring Center under the Forest Disaster Prevention Act, will be a specialized organization conducting comprehensive investigation, monitoring, and technical support functions for forest disasters such as wildfires, landslides, and forest pests.
The Wildfire Prevention Drone Team will consist of 10 teams with a total of 20 members and plans to effectively respond to large-scale wildfires by leveraging the accumulated drone operation experience and technical expertise from the institutions being integrated into the corporation.
By utilizing thermal drones, the team will swiftly identify the location of fire lines and analyze the paths of wildfire spread, thereby enhancing the accuracy of initial response. During wildfire occurrences, they will provide real-time on-site footage to aid in the development of firefighting strategies by the field’s integrated command headquarters.
Lee Yong-gwon, the Forest Disaster Control Officer of the Korea Forest Service, stated, “We will proactively operate the on-site response system even before the establishment of the corporation to ensure the continuity and rapidity of wildfire response.”