In early April 2019, multiple large wildfires broke out in Gangwon Province, South Korea – notably in Goseong County and spreading to Sokcho, Inje, Donghae, and Gangneung. The fires ignited on April 4, 2019, and were fueled by extremely dry conditions and powerful winds. This region experiences a seasonal downslope gale (known locally as Yangganjipung), which can create typhoon-strength gusts during the spring. These winds played a critical role in rapidly spreading the flames into populated areas and hampering firefighting efforts【14†L1-L4】.
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) observations, wind speeds in the affected area were extraordinarily high during the wildfire. In Sokcho (a city hit by the fire on April 4), sustained winds were about 20 meters per second (m/s) (approximately 72 km/h or 45 mph) on the night of April 4【29†L32-L39】. Such wind intensity is equivalent to a strong gale, which greatly intensified the wildfire’s spread.
Moreover, gusts reached typhoon-level velocities at times. Meteorological reports and official analyses noted instantaneous peak wind speeds on the order of 30–32 m/s, i.e. up to about 108–115 km/h (67–72 mph), in the mountainous coastal areas of Gangwon during the disaster【25†L125-L129】【30†L117-L120】. These extreme winds (classified as “typhoon-class” gusts) drove the flames rapidly forward. In fact, a government white paper and fire agency report confirm that the Goseong–Sokcho wildfire was fanned by wind gusts up to 32 m/s, which caused the fire to explode in size and reach residential districts within less than an hour【30†L117-L120】.
Such high wind speeds during the 2019 Gangwon wildfires are widely documented in open sources. They underscore how unusual weather conditions contributed to one of the most devastating wildfires in South Korean history. The official reports and open data agree that winds in the range of 20–30 m/s were observed during the event【29†L32-L39】【30†L117-L120】, dramatically worsening the blaze and complicating containment efforts. These values (20–32 m/s) serve as the key wind speed data for the 2019 Gangwon wildfire event, and they have been made available through government publications and open-access analyses for public reference.
- The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) provided real-time weather observations during the fires. A report cited by the University of Wisconsin’s SSEC notes that “strong winds (20 m/s or ~45 mph, according to KMA)” were present on April 4, 2019【29†L32-L39】. This indicates KMA’s measured wind speed in the Sokcho area at that time. (KMA is a government agency, and its data is publicly accessible, making this information free to use.)
- A Ministry of the Interior and Safety white paper (2019) and the Korea National Fire Agency both documented the extreme wind conditions in official reports. In a Fire Agency briefing, it is stated that the Goseong–Sokcho wildfire spread “under strong winds with an instantaneous maximum wind speed of 32 m/s”【30†L117-L120】. This government report is an open publication (public domain in Korea) clearly listing the peak wind speed during the event.
- Open-access analyses and news summaries (e.g. The Korea Times via Yonhap News) also reported that winds in the 30 m/s (108 km/h) range were expected and observed in the Gangwon mountains on April 4–5, 2019【25†L125-L129】. While news articles themselves may not be freely licensed, the underlying facts are derived from public data provided by KMA and disaster management agencies.
By consulting these copyright-free and open sources, we obtain reliable wind speed data for the 2019 Gangwon wildfires. In summary, the wildfires were driven by winds of roughly 20 m/s sustained and gusts up to ~30–32 m/s, according to official open reports【29†L32-L39】【30†L117-L120】. This corresponds to wind speeds of about 70–115 km/h, highlighting the severity of the conditions during the disaster.
References:
- KMA observation (as cited by SSEC’s satellite disaster report) – “strong winds (20m/s or ~45mph, according to KMA)”【29†L32-L39】.
- Korea Ministry of Interior & Safety / Fire Agency – 2019 Gangwon Wildfire White Paper, noting “instantaneous max wind speed of 32 m/s” during the fire【30†L117-L120】.
- Yonhap News (via Korea Times) – KMA warned winds could reach 30 m/s (108 km/h) in the region during the wildfire【25†L125-L129】. (Open-access news report summarizing official weather advisories.)