Emergency Response by Korea Forest Service and Fire Authorities
Overnight Firefighting Efforts Prevent Further Spread
The wildfire that broke out in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, has continued for a second day, but thanks to the authorities' swift response, the containment rate exceeded 59% as of the afternoon of the 23rd.
A fire is spreading from Myeonggori Ap mountain to Seoakgil back mountain in Uiseong-gun, Gyeongbuk.
The Korea Forest Service and fire authorities have been making all-out efforts overnight to prevent further damage.
The Korea Forest Service and fire authorities mobilized 48 helicopters, 4,665 personnel, and 453 vehicles to focus on extinguishing the fire and blocking its spread.
Although strong winds and dry weather posed challenges, the organized response succeeded in controlling parts of the fire line. Helicopter operations were suspended at 6:40 p.m. that day, and the on-site temperature was 23.7°C with a humidity of 17%, indicating rather dry conditions.
The wildfire started at around 11:25 a.m. on the 22nd at the top of a mountain in Goesan-ri, Anpyeong-myeon, Uiseong County.
While the possibility of the fire being caused by a visitor to a family grave is being raised, another wildfire broke out at 2:40 p.m. the same day in Yanggok-ri, Angye-myeon, causing additional damage.
Despite the authorities' prompt response, the fire, driven by strong winds, spread about 20 kilometers eastward. As of 6 p.m. on the 23rd, the affected forest area reached 6,028 hectares. However, authorities have managed to contain 59 kilometers out of the total 98 kilometers of the fire line, focusing on minimizing damage.
So far, 94 houses have been damaged by the fire, and 1,503 residents have been safely evacuated. In particular, 337 patients and elderly people from nursing hospitals in Uiseong County were quickly transferred to nearby medical facilities with the help of medical staff and fire authorities.
Additionally, as a precaution against the fire spreading to Andong, 52 residents from Baekja-ri and Geumgok-ri in Gilan-myeon have also been evacuated.
The North Gyeongsang branch of the Korean Red Cross, volunteer organizations, and public officials are providing relief activities at shelters for displaced residents and assisting with recovery efforts.
An official from Uiseong County stated, "The wind is expected to calm down from tonight until tomorrow morning, and our goal is to complete the cleanup of remaining embers by tomorrow morning," adding, "We will do our utmost to prevent further damage."
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