Authorities in South Korea are battling multiple wildfires in the southeast that have been burning for days. They deployed dozens of helicopters and thousands of firefighters and soldiers to control the blazes.
So far, four people have lost their lives. Authorities warn that strong winds and rising temperatures make it difficult to put out the fires. In Uiseong, wildfires have burned nearly 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres) of land, forcing around 600 residents to evacuate. Lim Sang-seop, head of the Korea Forest Service, stated that 57 wildfire-fighting helicopters and over 2,600 personnel, including soldiers, are tackling the flames.
Although firefighters have contained part of the fire, it continues to burn. An AFP photographer in Uiseong reported thick black smoke obscuring the sun as helicopters tirelessly doused the flames. The forest agency issued its highest-level “severe” fire warnings in multiple regions, including North and South Gyeongsang provinces, Busan, and Daejeon.
A major wildfire in Sancheong County, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of Seoul, claimed four lives over the weekend. By Monday, firefighters had contained part of it, but flames still raged. In response, the government declared a state of emergency, citing extensive damage from simultaneous wildfires across the country.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstated as acting president earlier that day, visited the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. He urged authorities to work together until they extinguished the fires. Calling the situation “truly heartbreaking,” he pledged to meet those affected later in the day.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, called on authorities to use every available resource to suppress the fires swiftly and safely. He also emphasized the need for stronger measures to prevent future wildfires.
Extreme weather events like heatwaves and heavy rainfall have well-established links to climate change. However, wildfires, droughts, snowstorms, and tropical storms result from a mix of complex factors. As authorities continue their battle against the blazes, concerns grow over the role of climate change in worsening such disasters.
Read More: Ashley County Ledger
P.C: YASUYOSHI CHIBA / AFP
