Andong: Wildfires reignited in the southeastern part of South Korea overnight, with fire authorities reporting that firefighting helicopters were dispatched to extinguish the flames. Reports of smoke in Andong, located approximately 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul in North Gyeongsang Province, began around 10 p.m. on Friday night, with forestry officials believing the fire reignited at approximately 3 a.m. on Saturday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Expressway Corp. blocked off a section of a nearby highway at 5 a.m., reopening it just before 9 a.m. Due to vehicles being unable to reach the mountainous areas, 11 helicopters were deployed to contain the fire. Fires had also reignited in other parts of the province, including Euiseong, just south of Andong, prompting regional officials to call in nine firefighting helicopters, 230 firefighters, public servants, and 50 soldiers to help contain the blazes.
In a separate incident, a fire that began near a transmission tower around 9 p.m. on Friday in the county of Cheongsong, east of Andong, spread to a neighboring mountain. Cheongsong officials warned residents to prepare for a possible power outage. Nine helicopters were in operation over Cheongsong and Yeongyang to extinguish the embers. North Gyeongsang officials reported that smoke plumes were visible in some parts of the province, but claimed that fires had not reignited. The province plans to deploy 30 helicopters on Saturday.
The Korea Forest Service had earlier announced that wildfires in North Gyeongsang were fully controlled as of 5 p.m. on Friday, after causing fatalities and injuries and forcing thousands to evacuate. Approximately 48,000 hectares of woodland, equivalent to about 80 percent of the size of Seoul, have been scorched in what is considered South Korea's worst wildfire disaster. Nearly 13,000 hectares were affected in Euiseong and nearly 10,000 hectares in Andong.
The fires also damaged 2,996 houses and over 1,000 agricultural facilities, according to an official estimate. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters reported that the death toll from the fires reached 30 on Saturday, an increase of two from the previous day, along with 43 injuries. It also stated that 6,885 people from 4,193 households have yet to return home since evacuating.
Donations totaling approximately 55.4 billion won (US$37.7 million) have been collected through relief organizations. Acting President Han Duck-soo emphasized the government's commitment to providing "full administrative and financial support" for displaced individuals until they return to normalcy. During a meeting in Seoul on the response to the wildfires, Han urged firefighting authorities to closely monitor embers to prevent a recurrence of such tragedies.
Han stressed the importance of reviewing the government's response system to ensure preparedness for major wildfires amid rapid climate change. The interior ministry plans to offer 230 million won to support relief efforts in North Gyeongsang.