Wildfires raging across South Korea’s southern regions have claimed at least 16 lives and left 19 others injured, with officials attributing the devastation to dry weather and strong winds.
Authorities in Andong city, along with other affected southeastern areas, ordered mass evacuations on Tuesday as firefighters battled multiple blazes that have scorched over 43,000 acres of land. Among the destruction was Gounsa, a historic Buddhist temple dating back 1,300 years.
More than 5,500 people were forced to flee their homes in Andong, the neighbouring counties of Uiseong and Sancheong, and the city of Ulsan, where the fires were most severe, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety.
Firefighters, having earlier reported success in controlling the largest blazes, faced renewed challenges as dry, gusty winds reignited the flames, further spreading the destruction.
Nearly 9,000 firefighters, backed by over 130 helicopters and hundreds of emergency vehicles, were deployed. However, efforts were partially suspended overnight due to worsening wind conditions.
Authorities in Andong and Uiseong ordered residents of several villages and those residing near Andong University to evacuate.
Temporary shelters, including schools and indoor gyms, were set up to accommodate the displaced as flames driven by strong winds spread unchecked.
According to the Korea Heritage Service, the fire in Uiseong engulfed Gounsa, a Buddhist temple built in the 7th century.
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Fortunately, some of its national treasures, including a stone Buddha statue, were salvaged before the flames reached the wooden structures.
The fires also spread to Yeongdeok, a coastal town, prompting road closures and evacuation orders for at least four villages.
Local media reported that South Korea’s justice ministry had begun relocating around 2,600 inmates from a prison in Cheongsong county, also near Uiseong. However, the ministry did not immediately confirm these reports.
The Korea Forest Service stated that at least five wildfires remained active nationwide as of Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday, the agency raised the wildfire alert to its highest “serious” level, necessitating greater emergency response efforts, increased restrictions on forest access, and advisories to military units to halt live-fire drills.
Four firefighters and government workers were killed in Sancheong on Saturday after being trapped by fast-moving flames.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, currently serving as acting leader in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment over a December martial law decree, has vowed an all-out effort to contain the wildfires while urging public vigilance as dry conditions persist.
Officials suspect human error to be responsible for several of the wildfires, including those in Uiseong and Ulsan, with possible causes including fires set to clear overgrown grass in family burial sites or sparks from welding work.
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