Wildfire in Munmu-daewang-myeon, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk...National Fire Mobilization Order Issued

Financial News reported that a National Fire Mobilization Order has been issued in response to the wildfire in Munmu-daewang-myeon, Gyeongju City, Gyeongbuk Province.
The National Fire Agency (NFA) announced that as of 11:33 a.m. on the 8th, it had mobilized firefighting resources from five cities and provinces to support wildfire suppression and on-site response.

The wildfire started in the area around Ipcheon-ri in Munmu-daewang-myeon, Gyeongju City, Gyeongbuk Province, and under the National Fire Mobilization Order, firefighting personnel from five cities and provinces were urgently dispatched.
The mobilized forces include five vehicles and 25 personnel from the 119 Special Response Unit, with additional support on site from fire departments in Daegu, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gangwon, and South Chungcheong Province. As of noon, the affected area was 42 hectares, with a containment rate of 23%. The fire line measured 3.54 kilometers, of which 0.8 kilometers had been brought under control.
Earlier, the containment rate had risen to 60%, but strong winds reportedly caused it to plunge sharply to the 20–30% range. Gyeongju is currently under a strong wind advisory and a dry weather warning.
Weather conditions have also deteriorated. According to the Daegu Regional Meteorological Administration, as of 12:20 p.m. that day, wind speeds measured at the Gyeongju Tap-dong Weather Observatory were 7.1 meters per second, while effective humidity stood at 26%, indicating very dry conditions.
For now, the flames remain confined to hillsides near Ipcheon-ri, but there is concern that if the fire spreads north or south depending on wind direction, cultural heritage sites could come under threat.
To the north, the Golgulam Rock-carved Seated Buddha in Gyeongju, designated as Treasure No. 581, lies about 2 kilometers from the fire, and Girimsa Temple is also located nearby.
To the south is the Doosan Seodang Confucian School, designated as a provincial heritage site by Gyeongbuk, which is about 3.2 kilometers from the origin of the fire.
To strengthen its nationwide response, the NFA has activated its Situation Response Team and dispatched an on-site situation commander to oversee firefighting operations and safety management. Disaster recovery vehicles from Ulsan, Daegu, and Busan have also been sent to support the wildfire response.
spring@fnnews.com Reporter Lee Bomi Reporter