Korean wildfires continue to blaze as fire authorities struggle against wind

Social Affairs

Korean wildfires continue to blaze as fire authorities struggle against wind

Published: 03 Apr. 2023, 10:49 Updated: 03 Apr. 2023, 10:50

A wildfire blazes on in Hongseong County, South Chungcheong, on Sunday night. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Wildfires in Daejeon and Hongseong County, South Chungcheong, that broke out around Sunday noon continue to burn as fire authorities struggle to extinguish the fire due to strong winds.

The Daejeon wildfire in Seo District, Daejeon, began at 12:19 p.m. Sunday and has burned 398 hectares (984 acres) of forest. Sixteen helicopters and 1,820 firefighters were dispatched to the site, extinguishing around 70 percent of the blaze.

There have been no casualties reported, but a house and temple were damaged. Some 900 residents and patients at a nearby nursing hospital were evacuated.

Another wildfire in Hongseong County broke out around 11 a.m. Sunday, burning 945 hectares of forest as of Monday morning. A length of some 6.2 kilometers (3.85 miles) of fire still remains, according to forest authorities.

Overnight, 3,325 firefighters were deployed and eventually put down 70 percent of the fire. Seventeen helicopters joined in from Monday morning, and some 3,000 more personnel are scheduled to be dispatched before noon.

In Hongseong, 62 facilities — including 30 houses, 3 cattle sheds and 27 warehouses and greenhouses — were burnt. No casualties have been reported, but 236 residents were evacuated to schools, community halls and relatives' houses.

The forest authorities said they are looking into how the fires broke out, adding that some climbers are suspected to have started the blaze.

The forest authorities aimed to put out the main fire within the morning hours, but strong winds are impeding the effort.

"Wind blowing at the speed of 5 to 12 meters [16 to 39 feet] per second after 9 a.m. is hampering the firefighting effort," Minister of Korea Forest Service Nam Sung-hyun said in a status report.

Due to the dry weather, more than 30 wildfires were reported across Korea over the weekend.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]