South Korea wildfire claims 24 lives, over 27,000 displaced
ByHT News Desk
Mar 26, 2025 02:49 PM IST
South Korea faces devastating wildfires, claiming 24 lives and displacing over 27,000. The fires have destroyed over 200 structures, including a historic temple
South Korea is reeling from one of the most destructive wildfire outbreaks in its history, as wind-driven blazes have scorched the country's southern regions, claiming at least 24 lives, including a helicopter pilot, and forcing more than 27,000 people to evacuate.
A wildfire is seen next to a stone lantern of family tomb in Andong on March 26, 2025..(AFP)
A wildfire is seen next to a stone lantern of family tomb in Andong on March 26, 2025..(AFP)
The National Fire Agency confirmed on Wednesday that the infernos, which erupted last Friday, have destroyed over 200 structures, including homes, factories, and an ancient Buddhist temple. The fires have consumed approximately 43,330 acres of land, making this one of South Korea's largest wildfires by area burned.
Among the victims was a pilot whose helicopter crashed while battling flames in the southeastern town of Uiseong, one of the hardest-hit areas. Authorities confirmed there were no other crew members on board. The death toll also includes four firefighters and government workers who perished in Sancheong after being overtaken by rapidly advancing flames.
At least 26 people have sustained injuries of varying severity, while thousands remain displaced as emergency crews struggle to contain the fires.
Ancient temple and cultural treasures lost
The fires have devastated parts of Gounsa, a Buddhist temple originally built in the 7th century. Nearly half of the temple complex’s 30 structures were destroyed, including two state-designated "treasures":
A pavilion-shaped structure built over a stream in 1668.
A Joseon Dynasty building constructed in 1904 to commemorate the longevity of a king.
However, a stone Buddha statue dating back to the 8th century was successfully evacuated and placed in a safe location, according to government and Buddhist officials.
Firefighting efforts on
Despite the deployment of 4,650 firefighters, soldiers, and emergency personnel, aided by 130 helicopters, strong overnight winds caused the flames to intensify, forcing crews to temporarily suspend their operations.
In a televised address, South Korea's acting President Han Duck-soo acknowledged the unprecedented scale of destruction.
"Damages are snowballing. There are concerns that we'll have wildfire damages that we've never experienced, so we have to concentrate all our capabilities to put out the wildfires in the rest of this week," Han said.
Firefighting efforts are expected to continue throughout the week, with 5-10 millimeters of rain forecast for Thursday, providing a glimmer of hope for containment.
Officials in several southeastern cities and towns, including Andong, Uiseong, Sancheong, and Ulsan, issued evacuation orders on Tuesday as firefighters struggled to prevent the flames from spreading further.
In Cheongsong, authorities evacuated 500 inmates from a detention center as a precaution, though no damage was reported to the facility.
The Korea Forest Service raised the national wildfire warning to its highest "serious" level on Tuesday, requiring local governments to increase emergency personnel and tighten forest entry restrictions. Military units were also advised to suspend live-fire exercises to prevent accidental ignitions.
What caused the fire?
While the exact causes of the wildfires are still being investigated, authorities suspect human error played a role. Officials believe the fires may have been sparked by negligence during tomb clearing or by welding sparks during maintenance work.
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