SEOUL, Feb 13 (YONHAP/APP): The government on Friday called on the public to take part in wildfire prevention measures over the Lunar New Year holiday, citing relatively extensive damage from fires across the country so far this year.
The interior ministry, along with six other government agencies, issued the call in a joint statement, noting growing concerns of wildfires due to continued dry weather conditions.
As of Tuesday, the country reported 89 wildfires this year, which burned 247 hectares of land in total, about 16 times the area impacted by wildfires over the same period the previous year.
The government called for participation in wildfire prevention measures, noting that 73 percent of wildfires over the past decade were caused by individual negligence.
It called on the public to not carry flammable material or lighters if hiking or entering forests during the Lunar New Year holiday period set to run through Wednesday and refrain from activities that could lead to fires.