The key equipment for extinguishing wildfires that occur domestically is helicopters. Last year, helicopters were used to fight 8 out of 10 wildfires that occurred domestically. The helicopters deployed for wildfire suppression in the country can carry between 600L and 8000L of water.
In the United States, when wildfires occur, aircraft are also deployed. Using larger aircraft than helicopters, fire retardant with a capacity of 30,000 liters is sprayed from above to prevent the spread of flames. Experts have noted the need to increase equipment suitable for wildfire suppression, taking into account the mountainous terrain characteristics prevalent in the country.
◇The plan to introduce operational helicopters is 'inconsistent' due to budget issues
The Korea Forest Service announced plans to increase the number of firefighting helicopters to 60 by this year in response to the wildfires that occurred in Samcheok and Gangneung in Gangwon Province and Sangju in North Gyeongsang Province in 2017. However, as of the 29th of this month, the Korea Forest Service possesses only 50 firefighting helicopters. They could not be introduced on time due to budgetary issues.
Not all of the helicopters currently owned are operational. Among the 29 KA-32 helicopters, eight are out of service. This model was manufactured in Russia, and due to the Russia-Ukraine war, parts have not been supplied. The number of such helicopters is expected to increase in the future. The Korea Forest Service projects that 14 helicopters will be out of operation starting in 2026 and 15 in 2027.
The KA-32 model is also a key helicopter owned by the Korea Forest Service for wildfire suppression. This helicopter has a water capacity of 3000 liters, making it the second largest after the S-64. The largest helicopter in the Korea Forest Service's fleet is the S-64, which can carry 8000 liters of water. It has a total of seven units. The remaining helicopters include seven Bell 206 helicopters with a water capacity of 600 liters, four AS 350 helicopters with a capacity of 800 liters, and three Surion helicopters with a capacity of 2000 liters.
In addition, there are 157 more helicopters that can be deployed for wildfire suppression. By ownership entity, the largest number is 80 helicopters rented by local governments, followed by 50 from the Korea Forest Service, 35 from the military, 31 from the fire department, 10 from the police, and one from the national park. However, not all can be mobilized for wildfire suppression due to the need to prepare for emergencies.
◇Helicopters not suitable for nighttime deployment… U.S. sprays 30,000 liters of fire retardant from aircraft
The United States also deploys aircraft for wildfire suppression. The aircraft used for wildfire suppression can carry up to 8,000 gallons (about 30,283 liters) of fire retardant. This is done using a very large airtanker (VLAT) to support firefighters on the ground working to extinguish the wildfire. There are also single-engine airtankers that can supply 800 gallons (3,028 liters) of fire retardant and large airtankers that can supply between 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters) and 4,000 gallons (15,141 liters).
Using aircraft for wildfire suppression work can effectively prevent the spread of fire by spraying a large quantity of fire retardant from above at once. Unlike helicopters, which cannot operate at night due to safety concerns, aircraft can be deployed at night. One reason for the significant wildfire damage in the country was the increase in flames overnight when helicopters could not be deployed.
There have been attempts to deploy aircraft for wildfire suppression in Korea, but all have fallen through. In 2012, Gyeongnam Province was the first in the country to introduce an aircraft made in Canada for wildfire suppression. At that time, the aircraft's water capacity was 5400 liters. However, due to rental costs amounting to tens of billions of won, the plan ultimately fell through. Additionally, after the Gangneung wildfire in 2024, the Korea Forest Service pursued a plan to install water tanks on the Air Force's C-130 transport aircraft for use as firefighting aircraft, but this was also scrapped due to resistance from the military.
Professor Lee Yong-jae from Kyungmin University’s Department of Fire Safety Management said, "Unlike the United States, the space for aircraft takeoffs and landings in Korea is limited," adding that "introducing large helicopters is a realistic solution."