Devastating wildfires fuelled by strong winds killed 18 people, destroyed more than 200 structures including a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple, and forced about 27,000 people to evacuate in southern South Korea, according to a Guardian report.
Acting President Han Duck-soo warned the five-day fire emergency had caused “unprecedented damage” and instructed disaster agencies to “assume the worst-case scenario and respond accordingly,” according to Yonhap news agency.
A helicopter crashed during firefighting operations in the southeastern town of Uiseong, killing the pilot and prompting the Korea Forest Service to suspend all helicopter operations nationwide, further complicating containment efforts.
The largest blazes swept through Andong city, neighbouring counties of Uiseong and Sancheong, and Ulsan city, burning more than 17,400 hectares (43,000 acres) of land as firefighters struggled against dry conditions and strong winds.
Authorities reported the Uiseong fire was only 68 percent contained despite deployment of nearly 9,000 firefighters, more than 130 helicopters and hundreds of vehicles. Overnight operations were partially suspended as winds strengthened.
“The Uiseong fire shows unimaginable scale and speed,” said Lee Byung-doo, a forest disaster expert at the National Institute of Forest Science, who linked the intensity to changing climate patterns.
“We have to admit large-scale wildfires are going to increase and prepare more resources and manpower”.
Officials in multiple southeastern regions ordered evacuations to temporary shelters including schools and indoor gymnasiums as the flames spread. The justice ministry did not immediately confirm local reports about relocating 2,600 inmates from a prison in Cheongsong county near the fire zone.
The historic Gounsa Buddhist temple, built in the seventh century, was destroyed by the fire in Uiseong, according to the Korea Heritage Service. Officials confirmed some national treasures, including a stone Buddha statue, were evacuated before flames engulfed the wooden structures.
Scientists have identified human-caused climate breakdown as responsible for increasing wildfire likelihood and intensity across various regions globally, with evidence suggesting the average wildfire season has extended by approximately two weeks worldwide.
(information from The Guardian)