Yeongdeok County Issues Full Mobilization Order for Wildfire Suppression and Evacuee Support

134 Pieces of Equipment and 2,283 Personnel Deployed
All Lodging Facilities and Resources Mobilized

Yeongdeok County in North Gyeongsang Province, on the third day after establishing a countermeasure headquarters in response to the wildfire spreading in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, will deploy all available resources on the 27th, including 134 pieces of equipment and 2,283 personnel, with the goal of completely extinguishing the wildfire.

Accordingly, Yeongdeok County is working closely with related agencies to deploy 13 helicopters, 14 fire trucks, 6 high-performance water spray vehicles, and 11 special vehicles. In addition, over 300 public officials and 274 members from fire, police, and social organizations are being mobilized for an all-out firefighting effort.

The main areas of operation are Jipum-myeon, Dalsan-myeon, Yeongdeok-eup, and Yeonghae-myeon, which are the most affected among the nine towns and townships. Equipment and personnel are divided into seven teams according to the severity of the wildfire, and operations are being carried out with objectives such as blocking the spread, clearing remaining embers, and protecting facilities.

Furthermore, Yeongdeok County has announced a plan to accommodate all evacuees currently staying at shelters such as the National Sports Center in public and private lodging facilities owned by the county until temporary housing is set up, prioritizing support for victims and stabilizing public sentiment.

The number of wildfire evacuees in Yeongdeok County exceeded 4,000 at 20 shelters prepared by the county on the 25th, but currently, 979 residents are staying in 13 shelters.

To support the evacuees, the county is providing 488 relief items, 385 emergency relief kits, 113 cooking relief sets, and 2,000 temporary relief supplies.

County Governor Kim Kwangyeol stated, "It is most important for our residents to escape the fear and damage of the fire and return to their daily lives, so we are mobilizing all resources and personnel to carry out operations by area and situation with the determination to finish today." He added, "For those who have unfortunately suffered damage, we will investigate the damage status in each town and township after the fire is extinguished and prepare specific support measures."

In Yeongdeok County, the wildfire first broke out near Sinchon in Cheongsong County at around 5:54 p.m. on the 25th due to the spread from Uiseong, and strong winds of 25 m/s caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in damage to an estimated 20,000 hectares by the county.

During the incident, eight residents tragically lost their lives, and eight others suffered third-degree burns and other injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. Property damage included the complete destruction of 924 houses, three vehicles, and six fishing boats.

Yeongdeok County Issues Full Mobilization Order for Wildfire Suppression and Evacuee Support. Provided by Yeongdeok County

Additionally, two water purification plants in the area were damaged, causing water supply disruptions for residents of Jipum-myeon and Dalsan-myeon, and power outages and communication failures occurred in Yeongdeok-eup and Jipum-myeon.