강원도 산불, 사상 최악이 된 요인들<br /><br /> Spring is when wildfires can easily start, and eastern Gangwon-do Province is particularly vulnerable to fires due to the region's natural environment.<br />Lee Min-sun explains. <br />The fire that started last night in Goseong County spread quickly overnight to other nearby parts of Gangwon-do Province, assisted by a strong wind with gusts of up to 20 meters per second.<br /> While the fire authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire and why it spread so fast, some topographical and seasonal factors seem to have contributed to its spread.<br />Fires can easily occur during the warm, dry spring season.<br />Most previous large fires in Gangwon-do Province occurred in the springtime. The fire that burnt down the Naksansa temple in Yangyang County in 2005 and the 8-day-long fire that started in Goseong County in 2000 both happened in April. <br />Gangwon-do Province's mountainous landscape also creates a suitable environment for fires to spread.<br /> The easterly wind passing across the mountains creates the Foehn effect which causes a warm, dry wind on the western slopes the mountain range. <br />"Because it's a mountainous area, air currents over the Taebaek mountain range turn into strong winds, raising possibility of wildfire. Also, there are a lot of pine trees there which are especially vulnerable to fire with their pine resin."<br /> With the strong wind dying out, fire authorities have successfully controlled the main fire and are keeping a lookout for possible remaining embers.<br />Lee Min-sun, Arirang News.
