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Wildfire in North Gyeongsang fully extinguished after 18 hours

Published: 11 Jan. 2026, 12:43 Updated: 11 Jan. 2026, 16:25

Embers from a wildfire that started the previous day continue to burn on a wooded hillside in Uiseong-eup, North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 11. [YONHAP]

A wildfire that broke out in a wooded hillside in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang, was fully extinguished after 18 hours, forest authorities said on Sunday.

The fire was first reported at about 3:15 p.m. on Saturday on a mountain ridge about 150 meters (492 feet) above sea level in Bibong-ri, Uiseong-eup. Authorities issued a Level 2 wildfire response at 3:41 p.m., followed by a Level 2 forest fire alert at 4:30 p.m., which is used when the expected burn area is between 50 and 100 hectares (123.55 and 247.1 acres).

The Korea Forest Service said it completed mop-up operations at 9 a.m. on Sunday and shifted to monitoring for flare-ups. Overnight, 15 rapid-response firefighting teams cleared any remaining embers. At daybreak, authorities deployed 10 helicopters, 147 pieces of equipment and about 420 personnel. An additional 251 firefighters were assigned to watch for residual fires.

A strong wind advisory had been in effect across Uiseong County since Saturday morning. Although 10 helicopters were dispatched, some were unable to take off because of high winds, hampering firefighting efforts. On the ground, 52 vehicles and 315 personnel — including county officials, wildfire crews, firefighters and police — worked to prevent the flames from reaching nearby homes. Snow squalls began around 5:45 p.m., helping slow the fire. Authorities brought the main blaze under control by 6:30 p.m., about three hours after it broke out.

At a wildfire evacuation shelter set up at the Uiseong Gymnasium in North Gyeongsang, a resident moves personal belongings into an emergency relief shelter to spend the night after a wildfire broke out in the county on Jan. 10. [YONHAP]

Firefighters continue mop-up operations after bringing the main blaze under control at the site of a wildfire in Bibong-ri, Uiseong-eup, North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 10. [NEWS1]

About 281 residents from the villages of Oro-ri, Palseong-ri and Bibong-ri evacuated to gymnasiums, town halls and senior centers. They gradually returned home after the main fire was contained. The affected area totaled 93 hectares. Officials reported no injuries or property damage.

Authorities plan to investigate the exact cause of the fire.

The Forest Service said wildfire risk remains high in parts of the country, including the Yeongdong region of Gangwon and the Yeongnam region, where dry weather and strong winds persist. Six wildfires were reported nationwide on Saturday alone.

Kim In-ho, the head of the Korea Forest Service, urged the public to avoid using fire outdoors and to exercise heightened caution to prevent wildfires.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAEK KYUNG-SEO [[email protected]]