At least 18 people have been killed in one of South Korea's worst wildfire outbreaks, as multiple blazes broke out in the country's southeastern region over the weekend, causing unprecedented damage. Thousands of firefighters, aided by the military, are working to douse over a dozen different blazes that are fuelled by strong winds and dry weather.
The wildfires have razed entire neighbourhoods, closed schools and forced authorities to transfer hundreds of inmates from prisons. One major fire tore through villages and burned a historical temple to the ground, according to a report by news agency AFP.
The government has, meanwhile, raised the crisis alert to its highest level and declared a "full-scale national response" to bring the fires under control.
"Eighteen people died in the wildfires," a ministry of safety official told AFP, adding that around six people were seriously injured and 13 suffered minor injuries.
Many of those who had perished were aged in their 60s and 70s, according to a Reuters report.
Thousands Flee Homes
Dry, windy weather has hampered efforts to contain the fires, with the government taking the rare step of evacuating thousands of prisoners out of detention centres in affected counties. According to the government, the deadly wildfires have forced more than 27,000 residents to flee their homes.
Several videos were shared on social media showing firefighters trying to control the deadly blazes as strong winds and dry weather make their work harder.
At least 12 dead in South Korea wildfires.
— Global Index (@TheGlobal_Index) March 25, 2025
A massive forest fire that began in Uiseong, Gyeongbuk, has been spreading for four days, affecting Andong, Cheongsong Juwangsan National Park, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok. The wildfire has resulted in 12 fatalities, with deaths reported… pic.twitter.com/Z6U62BAXs3
"Wildfires burning for a fifth-consecutive day in Ulsan and the Gyeongsang region are causing unprecedented damage," South Korea's acting president Han Duck-soo said, adding that the government has launched a "full-scale national response".
He said that the government is deploying all available personnel and equipment in response to the "worst wildfires ever, but the situation is not good. Per the President, the US military in Korea was also assisting in firefighting efforts.
The President told an emergency safety and disaster meeting that the blazes were "developing in a way that is exceeding both existing prediction models and earlier expectations."
Authorities launched emergency evacuations on Tuesday afternoon, "but sadly, casualties could not be prevented," he said.
"Throughout the night, chaos continued as power and communication lines were cut in several areas and roads were blocked," he added.
Thousands of firefighters have been deployed, but "strong winds reaching speeds of 25 metres per second persisted from yesterday afternoon through the night, forcing the suspension of helicopter and drone operations," Han said.
"Constantly shifting wind directions and ongoing dry weather advisories have revealed the limitations of conventional firefighting methods," he added.
UNESCO-Listed Heritage Site Under Threat
The blazes that broke out on Saturday in Uiseong are yet to be contained and are threatening several UNESCO World Heritage sites - Hahoe Village and the Byeongsan Confucian Academy - in Andong city.
On Tuesday, authorities issued an emergency alert for Hahoe Folk Village as the blaze drew closer. The flames had already burnt down Goun Temple, an ancient temple built in 681, Yonhap reported.
A video of the blaze approaching the temple was shared on social media, which showed the people fleeing the premises before the flames engulfed the structure.
1000 year old Temple consumed by wildfire
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) March 23, 2025
Thousand-year-old Unramsa Temple on Cheondeungsan Mountain South Korea, was completely destroyed by a forest fire yesterday. It quickly spread due to strong winds, burning down both the main building and its outbuildings.
“Before the… pic.twitter.com/X5Bk6aTjUy
The Uiseong fire, only 68 per cent contained and exacerbated by gusty winds, shows "unimaginable" scale and speed, said Lee Byung-doo, a forest disaster expert at the National Institute of Forest Science.
The government has designated the affected areas as special disaster zones, and said the fires had damaged more than 15,000 hectares (37,065 acres).
Climate Change Behind Fires?
Climate change is projected to make wildfires more frequent globally, Lee said, citing the unusual timing of wildfires that ravaged part of Los Angeles in January and a recent wildfire in northeast Japan.
"We have to admit large-scale wildfires are going to increase, and for that we need more resources and trained manpower," he told Reuters.
South Korea relies on helicopters to help extinguish wildfires due to its mountainous terrain, but Lee said there was a need to bring in other fire-fighting aircraft and drones that can operate at night.
Eight Russian helicopters out of the Korea Forest Service's fleet of 48 used in fire-fighting had been taken out of operation since last year due to an inability to import parts from Russia because of sanctions related to the Ukraine war, Yoon Joon-byeong, a Democratic Party lawmaker said in October, using data from the forest service.
Kim Jong-gun, a spokesperson for the Korea Forest Service, said the agency planned to secure more wildfire-fighting helicopters, responding to criticism about a lack of equipment and helicopters on the ground.
He said that 4,919 firefighting personnel were being deployed on Wednesday, including hundreds of police officers and military units, while 87 helicopters were being used.
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