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At Least 24 Dead, 27,000 Forced To Evacuate As South Korea Battles ‘Worst Ever Wildfires’ (Photos)

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Updated Mar 26, 2025, 07:44am EDT

Topline

At least 24 people were killed and thousands forced to evacuate their homes as a series of deadly wildfires, which the country’s acting president described as its worst ever, spread through South Korea’s southeastern region on Wednesday.

Key Facts

The fires started late last week before expanding quickly, and forced at least 27,000 people to evacuate from their homes, the Associated Press reported.

Fire officials said at least 26 people have been injured by the fire, which has also destroyed at least 200 structures, including a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple.

According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, hundreds of firefighting helicopters and around 5,000 firefighters have been deployed to tackle the blazes, however, efforts to contain the blazes have been hampered by strong winds and dry weather.

The country’s acting President Han Duck-soo delivered a televised address on Wednesday and said: “We are confronting the worst wildfires in our history using all available personnel and equipment, but the situation is not looking good.”

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What Do We Know About The Victims Of The Fires?

According to South Korean disaster authorities, 20 of the 24 deceased people were found in the Uiseong county in the eastern part of the country and four were from Sancheong, located further south. Among the dead is a 73-year-old pilot, who was killed Wednesday after the firefighting helicopter he was flying crashed into the mountains in Uiseong. The cause of the crash has not been determined, but Yonhap reported that the Korea Forest Service grounded its firefighting choppers after the crash. In a separate announcement, the South Korean defense ministry said the country’s military has deployed an additional 48 helicopters to combat the blaze, although it is unclear if this deployment is in response to the forest service’s groundings.

What Do We Know About The Damage Caused By The Fires?

Han said 209 homes, buildings, and structures have been destroyed by the fire so far. This includes the Gounsa Temple in Uiseong, a historic monument built in 618 by the Silla dynasty. According to Yonhap, “national treasures” stored in the temple have been moved to other locations.

Big Number

17,000 hectares (42,000 acres). That is the total area across the country that has been burned by the wildfires so far, Han said in his address.

Further Reading

Deadly wildfires kill at least 24 in southeast Korea (Korea Herald)

Wildfires spread, fanned by strong winds, in southeastern region as death toll climbs to 24 (Yonhap News Agency)

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