At least 18 people have died and another 19 were injured as wildfires ravaged South Korea’s southern regions amid dry weather and strong winds. According to government officials, the fires have been ongoing for five days, causing what Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is also the acting president, referred to as “unprecedented damage.”
On March 25, officials in Andong city, along with other southeastern cities and towns, ordered residents to evacuate, as multiple blazes burned over 17,400 hectares (43,000 acres) of land and destroyed hundreds of structures, among which was a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple. More than 5,500 people were forced to leave their homes in Andong, the neighboring counties of Uiseong and Sancheong, and the city of Ulsan.
As of March 25, South Korean officials stated that firefighters had managed to extinguish most flames from the largest wildfires. However, the combination of dry and windy weather caused setbacks, allowing the blazes to spread further. The situation was particularly grim in Uiseong, where the fire was only 68% contained.
Nearly 9,000 firefighters, along with over 130 helicopters and hundreds of vehicles, have been deployed to combat the flames. Efforts to battle the blazes were partially suspended overnight as the winds intensified. In Andong and Uiseong county, authorities ordered residents in several villages and near Andong University to seek safety in temporary shelters such as schools and indoor gyms, as the fire that originated in Uiseong continued to spread.
The fire in Uiseong had devastating effects, destroying Gounsa, a Buddhist temple built in the seventh century. Fortunately, reports indicated that some of the temple's national treasures, including a stone Buddha statue, were evacuated before the fire reached the wooden buildings.
The wildfire also spread to the nearby coastal town of Yeongdeok, prompting officials to shut down roads and order evacuations for residents in at least four villages. In response to the escalating disaster, the justice ministry began relocating 2,600 inmates from a prison in Cheongsong county, close to Uiseong.
Climate change has made wildfires more frequent globally, and this disaster in South Korea is no exception. Experts warn that large-scale wildfires are likely to become more common. Lee Byung-doo, a forest disaster expert at the National Institute of Forest Science, emphasized that “we have to admit large-scale wildfires are going to increase and prepare more resources and manpower.” This perspective underscores the urgency of addressing climate issues moving forward.
Such catastrophic fires are not isolated events; they reflect a broader trend tied to climate breakdown affecting many regions around the world, particularly southern Europe, northern Eurasia, the United States, and Australia. Recent studies indicate that climate change has elongated the wildfire season by about two weeks on average worldwide, heightening the likelihood of similar disasters in the near future.
As the situation develops, officials urge residents to adhere strictly to evacuation orders and remain vigilant. With the deployment of thousands of firefighters and extensive resources aimed at managing these wildfires, the hope remains to contain and extinguish the flames that have already wreaked havoc in South Korea's southern regions.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the increasing unpredictability and intensity of natural disasters in the context of climate change. As nations grapple with the effects of a warming planet, the need for comprehensive disaster preparedness and climate action has never been more apparent.
