Andong: The forest fires that extend in South Korea doubled in size on Thursday from a previous day, since the authorities called the worst natural fire disaster in the country with at least 28 people killed and incinerated historical temples.
More than 38,000 hectares (93,900 acres) have been carbonized or were still burning in the largest fires that began in Uiseong’s central county, which makes it the largest forest fire in the history of South Korea. The previous record was 24,000 hectares (59,000 acres) in a fire of March 2000.
“We are nationally in a critical situation with numerous victims due to the rapid spread of forest fires,” said the interim president have Duck-Soo to a government response meeting.
The army has released aviation fuel stocks to help maintain fire extinction helicopters flying to flames in mountainous regions in the southeast of the country where fires have now been burning now for almost a week.
More than 120 helicopters have been deployed in three regions that fight against fires, said the Ministry of Security. South Korea is based on helicopters to combat forest fires due to its mountain land. A helicopter pilot died on Wednesday after crashing while trying to board a fire.
The forest fires that originated in Uiseong have moved quickly to the east, extending almost to the coast, transported by racing winds and with dry conditions that aggravate the situation.
Uiseong’s fire began to extend rapidly on Wednesday, arriving at Yeongdeok coastal county about 50 km (30 miles) away in just 12 hours, said Won Myung-Soo, director of satellite image analysis for the National Forestation Service.
On Thursday night, it rained briefly in some parts of the affected region. The precipitation of about a millimeter was very little to extinguish the main fire, but it will help to contain it, the authorities said.
Approximately the same amount of rain is expected for some areas on Friday.
Experts have said that Uiseong’s fire showed an extremely unusual propagation in terms of its scale and speed, and that climate change is expected to make forest fires more frequent and mortal worldwide.
The highest temperatures amplified by climate change caused by humans contributed to existing seasonal conditions, “converting dry landscapes into dangerous fire fuel” in the region, said the Central Climate Group, an independent body composed of scientists and researchers, in a report.
Forest fires have carved a trace of devastation through an area equivalent to approximately half of Singapore, devastating everything to their path, including historical temples and houses in the mountainous forest regions of the province of Northern Gyeongsang.
Fire teams are waiting to protect the Unesco World Heritage sites by Hahoe Village and the Byeongsan Confucian Academy in the city of Andong, if a fire jumps the current that flows around it.
The picturesque popular town has traditional Korean houses, many with straw roofs, while the Confucian academy dates back to more than 450 years.
The fires have already seriously damaged other historical sites, including much of the Gounsa Temple in Uiseong, which was built in 681.
“The buildings and the remains of what the Buddhist monks have left more than 1,300 years have already disappeared,” said Deungwoon, the head of the Gounsa temple.
