South Korea Faces Intense Wildfires in Southeastern Areas Amidst Severe Dry Winds

Synopsis

Seoul faces multiple wildfires in the southeastern region, with strong winds complicating containment efforts. The fires have claimed lives and led to widespread evacuations. The government is providing financial support for recovery. Firefighters have contained a significant portion of the blaze as they continue their efforts amidst challenging conditions.

Key Takeaways

Multiple wildfires are ravaging South Korea's southeastern region.
Approximately 4,150 hectares of land have been burned to date.
The government has pledged 2.6 billion won for recovery efforts.
Evacuations have affected over 1,500 people.
Firefighting efforts are hampered by strong winds.

Seoul, March 23 (NationPress) South Korea is currently engaged in efforts to combat several wildfires that are sweeping through the southeastern regions, facing challenges from strong and arid winds that are obstructing containment measures, according to officials.

The flames ignited on Friday in Sancheong County, located 250 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and have since spread to various other locations. Additional wildfires erupted in Euiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, approximately 180 km southeast of the capital, as well as in Ulju County in Ulsan, situated about 300 km away.

So far, four individuals have lost their lives in the Sancheong blaze, with six more sustaining injuries. Over 1,500 residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters, as reported by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.

A total area of 4,150 hectares has been scorched—roughly equivalent to around 5,811 football fields—with more than 1,000 hectares devastated in both Euiseong and Sancheong.

Firefighting teams are actively trying to tackle the flames; however, the intense and dry winds are complicating their efforts. In the case of the Ulju fire, transmission towers in mountainous areas have impeded fire helicopters' access, as stated by Yonhap news agency.

With forecasted low-humidity and strong winds in the upcoming days, officials are preparing to implement all necessary measures to control the fire.

On Sunday, acting President Choi Sang-mok announced that the government plans to allocate special financial grants to aid recovery in Sancheong and the two other wildfire-affected areas.

“We will urgently provide a special disaster and safety grant of 2.6 billion won (US$177.4 million) to the three wildfire-affected regions,” Choi declared during a disaster management meeting.

The government will also distribute 50 million won in disaster relief funds to assist evacuees and victims in Sancheong.

Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk convened a meeting with senior secretaries to discuss strategies for quickly stabilizing the situation, as indicated by the presidential office.

“With strong winds anticipated tomorrow, it was agreed that efforts should concentrate on extinguishing the main fire before sunset today, while also preparing thoroughly for nighttime operations,” an official mentioned.

Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the disaster control tower, instructed fire officials to deploy all available resources to promptly manage the wildfires.

“Wildfires are rapidly spreading to broader areas due to dry weather, posing a threat to lives,” Lee stated during a disaster response meeting, promising all-out efforts to extinguish the flames.

As of Sunday afternoon, firefighters have managed to contain approximately 50-70 percent of the fires across the three affected regions.