Wildfire in Hallim-myeon, Gimhae 50% Contained... 148 Residents Evacuated

A fire broke out on a mountain in Hallim-myeon, Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam. Photo by Korea Forest Service

As of 11 p.m. on the 22nd, about half of the wildfire that broke out at 2:03 p.m. in Hallim-myeon, Gimhae-si, Gyeongnam, had been extinguished.

The forestry authorities and Gyeongnam Province have deployed 193 personnel, including the Special Wildfire Disaster Response Team, and 35 pieces of equipment to continue overnight firefighting operations in response to the spread of the wildfire at night.

The affected area is estimated to be 22.42 hectares, and 1.2 kilometers out of a total 2.4 kilometers of fire line have been extinguished.

At the scene, a southwesterly wind with a speed of 1.7 meters per second was blowing, with a temperature of 13.8 degrees Celsius and humidity at 39 percent.

Due to the Hallim-myeon wildfire, 148 residents from 98 households in nearby villages evacuated to Sannajeon Community Center and Hanajeon Community Center, and no casualties have been reported so far.

The forestry and fire authorities, along with Gyeongnam Province, are using thermal imaging drones to fight the wildfire at night and are mobilizing all available firefighting personnel and resources to prevent the fire from spreading.