강원도 산불, 사상 최악이 된 요인들
Spring in Korea is a season when wildfires can easily start.
Eastern Gangwon-do Province is particularly vulnerable due to the region's natural environment.
Lee Min-sun explains further.
The fire that started last night in Goseong County spread quickly overnight to other nearby parts of Gangwon-do Province, assisted by a strong wind with gusts of up to 20 meters per second.
While the fire authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire and why it spread so fast, some topographical and seasonal factors seem to have contributed to its spread.
Fires can easily occur during the warm, dry spring season.
Most previous large fires in Gangwon-do Province occurred in the springtime. The fire that burnt down the Naksansa temple in Yangyang County in 2005 and the 8-day-long fire that started in Goseong County in 2000 both happened in April.
Gangwon-do Province's mountainous landscape also creates a suitable environment for fires to spread.
The easterly wind passing across the mountains creates the Foehn effect which causes a warm, dry wind on the western slopes the mountain range.
"Because it's a mountainous area, air currents over the Taebaek mountain range turn into strong winds, raising possibility of wildfire. Also, there are a lot of pine trees there which are especially vulnerable to fire with their pine resin."
With the strong wind dying out, fire authorities have successfully controlled the main fire and are keeping a lookout for possible remaining embers.
Lee Min-sun, Arirang News.
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