South Korea Battles Unprecedented Wildfires: 24 Dead, Historic Sites at Risk
Wildfires tearing across southeastern South Korea have left at least 24 people dead and more than 20 injured. Thousands of firefighters and military personnel are working tirelessly to subdue the fast-moving blazes, which have displaced approximately 27,000 residents from their homes.
The fires ignited late Friday in Sancheong county, Northern Gyeongsang province, and have since spread to neighboring areas including Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok counties—regions situated roughly 180 kilometers (111 miles) southeast of Seoul. According to the Korea Forest Service, as of Wednesday morning, crews are tackling at least five active wildfires nationwide.
The death toll climbed to 24 by Wednesday, fueled by fierce winds that propelled the flames through residential neighborhoods and razed countless structures, including the ancient Gounsa temple in Uiseong, a site over 1,000 years old. Among the casualties was a helicopter pilot who perished when his aircraft crashed in Uiseong’s rugged mountain terrain while combating the fires. Yonhap news agency reported that four others died late Tuesday night when their car flipped over during a desperate attempt to escape the advancing inferno, trapping them in the blaze.
In response, officials in Andong and surrounding southeastern locales have issued evacuation orders as containment efforts falter. The fires have scorched more than 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) of forest and obliterated hundreds of buildings. Yonhap confirmed that priceless national treasures from the Gounsa temple, constructed in 681, were successfully moved to secure locations elsewhere in the country.
An urgent alert has been raised for the Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Andong county, as the flames draw near. A Korea Heritage Service official noted that the fire is currently about 8 kilometers (4.9 miles) from the village, with fire trucks and crews on high alert, dousing the perimeter with water to halt the fire’s advance.
Lee Byung-doo, a forest disaster specialist at the National Institute of Forest Science, characterized the Uiseong blaze as having an “unimaginable” scope and velocity. Acting President Han Duck-soo echoed this sentiment, declaring that the wildfires have outstripped all forecasting models. “The wildfires, burning for a fifth consecutive day in Ulsan and the Gyeongsang region, are causing unprecedented damage,” Han stated, adding that they are “developing in a way that is exceeding both existing prediction models and earlier expectations.”
To confront the crisis, the South Korean military has mobilized around 5,000 troops and 146 helicopters, joining thousands of firefighters on the front lines, according to Yonhap. Additionally, approximately 500 inmates from a local prison have been relocated to facilities beyond the fire-threatened zone for their safety.
The relentless wildfires continue to challenge response efforts, threatening both lives and South Korea’s cultural heritage as authorities race to regain control.