North Korea carries out controlled burns at main airport as fires burn in South
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Aviation expert calls DPRK approach to managing vegetation ‘extreme,’ but NASA data suggests wildfire situation stable
[Anton Sokolin](https://www.nknews.org/content_author/anton-sokolin/) March 25, 2025
Fires on farmland in North Hwanghae in Oct. 2016 | Image: NK News
North Korea carried out large-scale controlled burns at its main airport in recent days to remove dry vegetation, likely looking to reduce fire risks and potential dangers to aircraft as massive forest fires rage in the South.
The grassy areas around the runways of Pyongyang Sunan International Airport turned charcoal dark on Sunday, Planet Labs satellite imagery shows, pointing to regular controlled burning that followed the borders of the airport.
North Korea carried out large-scale controlled burns at its main airport in recent days to remove dry vegetation, likely looking to reduce fire risks and potential dangers to aircraft as massive forest fires rage in the South.
The grassy areas around the runways of Pyongyang Sunan International Airport turned charcoal dark on Sunday, Planet Labs satellite imagery shows, pointing to regular controlled burning that followed the borders of the airport.
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