The forest fire that occurred on the 22nd in a mountainous area of Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, has not been contained for six days. Even just considering the area damaged by the fire, it has surpassed 30,000 hectares (hectare·1 hectare is 0.01㎢), setting a record for the largest scale ever. As firefighting efforts continue for an extended period, warnings have arisen that the health issues of firefighters working to suppress the fire must be closely monitored.
Lee Eun-il, a professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Korea University Ansan Hospital, said on the 27th, "In the process of fire suppression, not only are there dangers from the fire itself, but there is also exposure to carcinogens such as fine dust, benzene, and formaldehyde," and added, "If exposed to smoke during fire suppression, one should immediately get tested at a hospital, and even if the results are normal, it is necessary to observe for 2 to 3 days to monitor for the onset of pneumonia."
What the medical community is focusing on in this forest fire is the unexpectedly long suppression period. There is still a lack of research on the health effects on firefighters suppressing the fire. In this situation, guidelines for diagnosing the health status of firefighters and providing appropriate treatment are not clear.
Professor Lee noted, "While the forest authorities and the government will take good care of the health of the firefighters, what is most concerning is that doctors have very little experience treating patients who have been engaged in fire suppression for a long time," and said, "If health issues are suspected, it is necessary to avoid ending with just one diagnosis and to hospitalize for prolonged observation to provide timely treatment."
The biggest problem is the fine dust that is highly prevalent at the fire site. Most of the smoke created by the forest fire consists of fine dust. Ash from burning wood easily shatters and spreads as fine dust. This means that fine dust is also generated during the stage of fire suppression and tidying up smoldering remnants.
Professor Lee stated, "Industrial masks can filter fine dust sufficiently; however, there are currently no established standards for the effects of prolonged exposure to high concentrations of fine dust," and added, "Gaseous harmful substances are not filtered by industrial masks, which increases the possibility of causing bronchitis and pneumonia."
Fine dust and harmful substances inhaled through the lungs move through the bronchi to the alveoli, leading to an inflammatory response. If pneumonia worsens, fluid can escape from the alveoli, causing pulmonary edema.
However, diagnosing lung diseases caused by gaseous substances is difficult immediately after exposure to smoke through X-ray examinations. This means that even if one does not feel any health issues and receives a normal X-ray result at the hospital, they should not be discharged immediately. It is important to remain hospitalized and undergo continuous examinations for 2 to 3 days, even in the absence of symptoms.
Professor Lee emphasized, "Doctors also do not have much experience treating individuals exposed to forest fires for a long time," and noted, "Since one might miss the timely treatment if discharged when no immediate issues are present, it is crucial to apply the most conservative standards possible."
Cardiovascular diseases are also a concern. It is known that even small amounts of prolonged inhalation of fine dust can cause inflammation in blood vessels and the heart. The risk is even greater for individuals who previously suffered from cardiovascular diseases.
The number of fatalities caused by this forest fire, including the helicopter pilot, has reached 22. The mental health issues resulting from this also require ongoing management. The extreme fear and stress may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the risk of developing dementia also increases. Particularly, the possibility of mental health issues among firefighters facing a forest fire threatening the entire region is substantial.
The government has decided to enhance medical support for the areas affected by the forest fire. Kwon Kyoo-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, convened an emergency situation assessment meeting on the 26th and decided to strengthen the disaster medical support system that shares hospital beds and information through the Central Emergency Medical Situation Room. Preparations are also underway for rapid response teams from health centers and disaster medical assistance teams (DMAT) to be deployed for swift emergency medical support. There are plans to provide psychological counseling support from mental health professionals centered around regional trauma centers.