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Firefighters, residents ordered to evacuate Uiseong, Andong as wildfire spreads

Published: 24 Mar. 2025, 17:20

A wildfire spreads in the southeastern county of Uiseong on March, 24. [YONHAP]

Authorities ordered firefighters and some residents to evacuate as wildfires in the southeastern county of Uiseong are expected to spread to other regions amid a forecast for strong wind, officials said Monday.

The county of Uiseong in North Gyeongsang Province issued an emergency text alert at 2:34 p.m. ordering firefighters in the mountains to flee to a safe location.

The measures came amid a forecast for strong wind with a maximum wind speed of up to 15 meters per second in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province in the afternoon.

“The wind is not expected to be strong enough to meet the criteria to issue heavy wind alerts, with maximum wind speed exceeding 20 mph, but it is still going to be strong wind,” a local weather forecaster said.

In response, the county of Uiseong sent out text messages to residents to take shelter at elementary schools, community halls and gymnasiums.

The nearby city of Andong also ordered the immediate evacuation of its residents in some regions to nearby schools.

Yonhap