The National Fire Agency said on the 9th that it had deployed six "medium wildland fire engines" donated by Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to the field. The medium wildland fire engines were assigned two each to the Ulsan, North Gyeongsang, and South Gyeongsang fire headquarters.
Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association began sponsorship after large wildfires in the Yeongnam region, including North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, and Ulsan, last year. The cost is 4 billion won per vehicle, totaling 24 billion won.
The medium wildland fire engines introduced this time were specially built on Kia's military tactical vehicle platform. With four-wheel drive and tires for both on-road and off-road, they can climb steep and narrow mountain paths.
They are also equipped with a 1,600-liter (L) water tank, a thermal imaging camera for wildfire monitoring, and a telescopic lighting system, enabling operations around the clock without distinction between day and night.
National Fire Agency Commissioner Kim Seung-ryong said, "We will actively deploy the newly introduced, state-of-the-art wildland fire engines to front-line sites and focus all capabilities on protecting the precious lives and property of the public during the upcoming wildfire caution period."