“Cold and dry weather poses a high fire risk.”
In Daegu, citizens out for a walk on the morning of the 20th of February are seen warming up in a windbreak shelter amid the late winter chill.
Due to the influence of a cold continental high pressure system expanding from northern China, the weather is expected to remain chilly for a while, with strong winds. The atmosphere is also very dry, necessitating extra caution to prevent forest fires and other fire-related accidents.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) on the 20th, cold air moving south from the northwest is expected to cause temperatures to be lower than average. Cold wave advisories have been issued for northern and southeastern Gyeonggi, inland and mountainous areas of Gangwon, Chungbuk, and northern North Gyeongsang. The morning low temperatures on the 21st are forecasted to be between -13 and -1 degrees Celsius, with daytime highs ranging from 0 to 7 degrees Celsius.
The KMA advises the elderly and children to refrain from outdoor activities as much as possible and to check the insulation of water meters, exposed pipes, and boilers to prevent freezing. Farmers are encouraged to heat greenhouses and barns, and take measures to prevent crops and livestock from freezing.
Furthermore, the whole country is very dry, so special caution against fires is required. Currently, dry weather advisories are in effect for the Seoul metropolitan area, Gangwon, Daejeon, Chungbuk, and eastern Jeonnam and Gyeongsang regions, while the atmosphere is expected to become dry in other areas as well.
According to the KMA, strong winds with gusts reaching speeds of around 55 km/h are expected in most areas nationwide for the time being, posing the risk of small sparks turning into large fires. Extra caution is advised for preventing various types of fires, including forest fires. During outdoor activities such as hiking or camping, it is important to minimize the use of fire and carefully manage embers, including cigarette butts.