South Korea Scrambles to Put Out Wildfire as It Rages into Third Day

(MENAFN) South Korean authorities scrambled hundreds of firefighters and dozens of helicopters Monday in a race to prevent a fast-moving wildfire from engulfing residential zones in a southern county, local media reported, as the blaze entered its third consecutive day with no full containment in sight.

The fire broke out Saturday in Hamyang county, located in South Gyeongsang province, and has since scorched 190 hectares — roughly 469 acres — of land. As of Monday morning, containment stood at just 32%, a news agency reported, citing figures from the Korea Forest Service.

Overnight, the Korea Forest Service surged more than 600 personnel to the front lines in a bid to shield nearby residential areas from the advancing flames. However, steep terrain and relentless winds have severely undermined suppression efforts. An additional 51 helicopters were also dispatched to bolster the response.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok traveled to Hamyang county Monday, conducting an on-the-ground review of firefighting operations and offering words of encouragement to personnel battling the blaze.

The Korea Forest Service escalated to a Level 2 wildfire response designation on Sunday — a threshold triggered when projected damage surpasses 100 hectares, sustained wind speeds exceed 11 meters per second, or full containment is expected to require more than 48 hours.

In a parallel emergency measure, the National Fire Agency issued a nationwide firefighting mobilization order the same day, underscoring the severity of the crisis.

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