South Korea's Muju County closes 39.5 km of mountain trails due to fire risk

The Muju County Administration has announced the introduction of an autumn fire safety regime, which will last 45 days - from November 1 to December 15. During this period, the entrance to the forest areas with an area of ​​​​5,244 hectares will be closed, and traffic on 39.5 kilometers of hiking trails will be stopped. The Forest Service and the municipality will publish lists of closed areas, and warning signs will be placed at the entrances.

To prevent fires and to be on duty, 120 employees are involved, including observers and fire brigades. Another 98 civil servants have joined the formed reserve extinguishing squad and have undergone special training in actions in case of fires, the use of backpack fire extinguishers and first aid. Seven local administrative centers will provide 24-hour duty.

During November, during the peak of the fall foliage season, additional officers will patrol key trails and parking lots in Togyusan National Park and Hyangrosan Recreational Forest on weekends and holidays. Sensitive mountain slopes will also be monitored with automated surveillance cameras.