A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew from the 2nd Infantry Division uses a Bambi Bucket to drop water on a wildfire in Gangwon province, South Korea, April 5, 2019. (South Korean Army)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — The U.S. military has agreed to help fight raging wildfires in the mountains of South Korea’s eastern coast after a formal request from Seoul.
The Army’s 2nd Infantry Division will send UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, according to a statement from the command Wednesday evening. Around five U.S. helicopters are expected to be deployed, South Korea’s Ministry of Defense said in a separate statement.
South Korea has been battling several wildfires since March 4. The blaze the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade will assist in controlling began in Uljin County and had burned nearly 57,400 acres of woodland as of Thursday afternoon, according to a Ministry of the Interior and Safety official speaking on condition of anonymity, which is customary in South Korea.
The helicopters are capable of scooping up hundreds of gallons of water and spreading it over the blaze using a large container known as a “Bambi Bucket.” More than 50 members of the aviation brigade are expected to assist.
The command agreed to support South Korea’s firefighting efforts “without hesitation,” 2nd ID spokesman Lt. Col. Ryan Donald said in an email Thursday.
“The safety of the Korean people is [2nd ID’s] primary concern as this fire continues,” he said. “Our small contribution to the firefighting efforts continues to show we are not just here as part of the warfighting alliance; it reaffirms our commitment to our [South Korean] partners.”
The 2nd ID has been tapped to assist with wildfires in the past. In 2019, at least four helicopters were sent to fight blazes in the mountains of Gangwon Province, near the border with North Korea.
Over 1,600 South Korean service members and 48 helicopters have been mobilized to combat the fires as of Thursday morning, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense.
About 80% of the wildfires had been extinguished as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Interior and Safety official. Hundreds of homes and other buildings have been destroyed, displacing thousands of residents.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited the sites on Sunday and promised financial aid to those who were affected, according to a statement from the presidential Blue House.
