By The Straits Times | Created at 2025-03-24 10:07:31 | Updated at 2025-04-06 01:24:09
1 week ago
SEOUL - The South Korean authorities said on March 24 they would deploy dozens of helicopters and thousands of firefighters and soldiers as they struggle to control multiple wildfires in the south-east, which have been burning for days.
Four people have been killed so far, with officials warning that high winds and rising temperatures were hindering efforts to put out the blazes.
In Uiseong, nearly 7,000ha of land has been affected, and around 600 people evacuated, Mr Lim Sang-seop, head of the Korea Forest Service, told a press briefing.
“A total of 57 wildfire fighting helicopters are to be deployed to extinguish the fire,” he said, adding that more than 2,600 fire fighting personnel – including soldiers – would be mobilised “to respond with all their might”.
The fire had been partly contained but was still burning as of March 24 afternoon.
The forest agency has issued “severe” fire warnings, its highest level, in multiple locations, including North and South Gyeongsang provinces, Busan and Daejeon.
A major wildfire claimed four lives over the weekend in Sancheong county, in South Gyeongsang province, about 250km south-east of Seoul.
That fire was also partly contained by March 24 – but is still burning.
The government declared a state of emergency in the affected regions, citing “the extensive damage caused by simultaneous wildfires across the country”.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was reinstated as Acting President earlier on March 24, visited the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, urging the authorities to work together “until the wildfires are completely extinguished”.
“It is a truly heartbreaking incident,” he said, adding that he would meet people affected by the fires later on March 24.
The leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, Mr Lee Jae-myung, urged the authorities to “mobilise all means at their disposal to quickly and safely suppress the fires” and take further measures to prevent any additional wildfires.
Some types of extreme weather have a well-established link with climate change, such as heatwaves or heavy rainfall.
Other phenomena such as forest fires, droughts, snowstorms and tropical storms can result from a combination of complex factors. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
