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Wildfire on Daegu's Mount Hamji tears through 140 acres

Published: 28 Apr. 2025, 15:36 Updated: 28 Apr. 2025, 21:02

Fire authorities issued a Level 3 response to a fire that broke out at Mount Hamji in Daegu on April 28. [YONHAP]

Fire authorities issued a Level 3 response Monday as a wildfire that broke out on Mount Hamji in Daegu spread rapidly.

A level 3 response is activated for large-scale wildfires that is expected to spread at average wind speeds of at least 7 meters per second (3.3 feet per second) to affect at least 100 hectares (247 acres) and take longer than 24 hours to extinguish. It calls for the mobilization of all available firefighting personnel and equipment nationwide.

The wildfire broke out at around 2 p.m. Monday in Nogok-dong, Buk District, in Daegu. It quickly spread over two kilometers (1.24 miles) to nearby residential areas, reaching Seobyeon-dong shortly after 5 p.m.

The wildfire had affected an estimated 57 hectares as of 6 p.m., authorities said. Fire crews had contained 0.9 kilometers of the 6.5-kilometer fire line, with 5.6 kilometers still burning. The containment rate stood at 15 percent.

Fire authorities dispatched 29 helicopters, 57 apparatuses and 704 personnel to extinguish the fires.

Smoke from a wildfire that broke out on Hamji Mountain in Daegu is seen on April 28 [YONHAP]

The Buk District Office in Daegu sent out text message warnings to residents of the nearby area around 2:58 p.m.

Authorities initially issued a Level 1 response at around 3:14 p.m., which they brought almost immediately to Level 2 around 3:22 p.m. and to Level 3 by 6:00 p.m.

Both entrances and exits at Bukdaegu IC, of the Gyeongbu Expressway, were blocked off due to wildfire and smoke emanating from the fire.

Around 1,200 people were evacuated from residential areas of Buk District.

“I urge related agencies to take the highest-priority measures to prevent damage to life and property,” said Ko Ki-dong, acting Minister of the Interior and Safety and head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters. “Considering that this is an urban wildfire, proactively evacuate vulnerable groups, prepare for evacuation and immediately evacuate residents in areas where the forest fire is likely to affect them, and establish firebreaks for residential facilities.”

No casualties had been reported as of 6:30 p.m.

Smoke from a wildfire that broke out on Mount Hamji in Daegu is pictured on April 28. [NEWS1]

Update, April 28: Crisis response raised to Level 2.

Update, April 28: Added information about roads being blocked off, district resident evacuations and government statements.

Update, April 28: Crisis response raised to Level 3.

BY LIM JEONG-WON, KIM JU-YEON [[email protected]]