In South Korea, at least two firefighters lost their lives and hundreds of individuals were evacuated from their homes on Saturday due to more than 30 wildfires ignited by dry winds. The most significant blazes occurred in southeastern areas, particularly in the rural county of Sancheong. Here, 260 people sought refuge in a temporary shelter as flames rapidly spread through the nearby hills. Tragically, two firefighters perished, and another firefighter as well as a government worker are currently missing after getting trapped by swiftly moving flames fueled by strong winds in the region. Five emergency workers were rescued and are now receiving medical care for their injuries.
The wildfire in Sancheong had ravaged over 500 hectares as of Saturday evening, with only 35% of the fire contained due to the challenging mountainous topography and powerful winds. A massive operation involving nearly 1,600 emergency workers, 35 helicopters, and numerous vehicles was launched to combat the blaze. Meanwhile, more than 400 people evacuated their residences in Uiseong county in North Gyeongsang province, where a fire had already consumed 300 hectares. Residents in the city of Gimhae also fled their homes. Several highway sections in the southeast were closed, including a key route connecting Ulsan and Busan, South Korea’s second largest city.
The national government declared North and South Gyeongsang provinces and the southeastern city of Ulsan as disaster areas. Acting president Choi Sang-mok pledged a comprehensive effort to extinguish the wildfires. Additional fires were reported in central Chungcheong and southwestern Jeolla provinces.
