Sancheong County: Firefighters were scrambling Wednesday to contain a wave of wildfires that tore through the southeastern region and killed at least 18, but strong winds and dry weather have continued to hamper efforts to limit the spread of wildfires.
According to Yonhap News Agency, scores of firefighting helicopters, about 5,000 personnel, and some 560 pieces of equipment were mobilized, but the wildfires that began in Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang Province last Friday have spread across the region's northeast. For five days, the fires have spread to nearby Uiseong and were advancing to neighboring Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok.
Of the 18 victims, two were found in Andong, three in Cheongsong, six in Yeongyang, and seven in Yeongdeok. In Yeongyang, four of the victims were found burned to death on a road at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday. On Wednesday, acting President Han Duck-soo called for all-out efforts to help prevent the further spread of the deadly wildfires, describing them as "the worst ever wildfires."
The wildfires have destroyed 17,000 hectares of forest and 209 houses and factories. The flames destroyed Goun Temple in Uiseong, an ancient temple built in 681 during the Silla Dynasty. National treasures stored in the temple had been relocated to other locations.
Earlier Wednesday, a firefighting helicopter with one pilot crashed in Uiseong while battling a large wildfire, killing the pilot. The North and South Gyeongsang regions are home to numerous historical and cultural assets, including national treasures.
With the blazes showing signs of drawing closer, tensions were again rising around Hahoe Folk Village in Andong. Hahoe, about 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul, is one of the most famous and popular folk villages in South Korea and was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 2010. It preserves houses and traditions from the Joseon Dynasty.