Deadly South Korea wildfires double in size amid 'unprecedented' spread of threat

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 11:27 PM EDT | Last Updated: 13 minutes ago

Wildfires raging successful South Korea doubled successful size connected Thursday from a time earlier, arsenic authorities called the blazes the country's worst earthy occurrence catastrophe with astatine slightest 26 radical killed and historical temples incinerated.

More than 33,000 hectares has been charred oregon were inactive burning successful the largest of the fires that began successful the cardinal Uiseong county, making it the biggest azygous wood occurrence successful South Korea's history. The erstwhile grounds was 24,000 hectares successful a March 2000 fire.

"We are nationally successful a captious concern with galore casualties due to the fact that of the unprecedented accelerated dispersed of wood fires," acting President Han Duck-soo told a authorities effect meeting.

South Korea relies connected helicopters to combat wood fires due to the fact that of its mountainous terrain, and the subject has released stocks of aviation substance to assistance keep them flying arsenic they effort to douse flames crossed mountainous regions successful the southeast of the state that person been burning for astir a week.

More than 120 helicopters person been deployed successful 3 regions battling the blazes, the information ministry said.

The wildfires that originated successful Uiseong person been moving east rapidly, spreading astir to the coast, aided by gusty winds and dry conditions.

Some rain, but not much

While the meteorological bureau has forecast immoderate rainfall for the southwest, precipitation is expected to beryllium nether 5 millimetres for astir of the affected areas.

"The magnitude of rainfall is going to beryllium small, truthful it doesn't look similar it'll beryllium large assistance successful trying to extinguish the fire," Korea Forest Service Minister Lim Sang-seop told a briefing.

Experts person said the Uiseong occurrence showed highly antithetic dispersed successful presumption of its standard and speed, and that clime alteration is expected to marque wildfires much predominant and deadly globally.

Higher temperatures amplified by human-caused clime alteration contributed to the existing seasonally adust conditions, "turning adust landscapes into unsafe occurrence fuel" successful the region, the Climate Central group, an autarkic assemblage made up of scientists and researchers, said successful a report.