Forest fires in South Korea: Historical sites threatened and dead to complain about the dead

Forest fires in South Korea: Historical sites threatened and dead to complain about the dead

Landkreis Sancheong, Südkorea - Last weekend, a devastating forest fire broke out in South Korea, which was increasingly out of control. This led to a tragic incident in which four emergency services, including firefighters and government officials, lost their lives. Six other people were injured, with five of them seriously injured. The dangers of the fire were reinforced by dry winds and a persistent drought, which significantly increased the risk of fire. According to Kleine Zeitung broke the fire in the district of Sanchong, about 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, from.

causes and effects

The current forest fires are not only a local disaster, but are also in the context of increasing climatic changes. Scientists warn that the increase in forest fires in South Korea is due to climate change, which increases the average temperatures and promotes extreme weather events. According to ZDF , global warming, especially in low-precipitation, favors the frequency and intensity of such fire. Forest fires release enormous amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and continue to contribute to global global warming. At the same time, they emit aerosols that can have a cooling effect.

The risk of forest fires in South Korea is not new. Such fires are a regular phenomenon during dry periods. In recent years, however, the changing climatic conditions have dramatically tightened the situation. Scientists not only see an alarming development, but also an indicator of progressive climate change. This is underlined by climate warning signals that most of the diagnosed forest fires are also reinforced by human activities. The current situation in South Korea thus fits into a worldwide pattern in which countries such as Australia, Portugal, Russia, the USA and Spain have also suffered devastating forest fires in recent years.