South Korea Mobilizes Resources to Combat Devastating Wildfires

South Korean authorities announced on Monday their plan to deploy dozens of helicopters alongside thousands of firefighters and soldiers as they battle multiple wildfires raging in the southeast for days. The fires have already claimed four lives, with officials warning that high winds and rising temperatures are complicating containment efforts.

In Uiseong, approximately 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres) have been affected, prompting the evacuation of around 600 residents, according to Lim Sang-seop, head of the Korea Forest Service. “We will deploy 57 firefighting helicopters to extinguish the flames,” he stated, adding that over 2,600 firefighting personnel, including military support, will be mobilized “to respond with all their might.”

While some progress has been made in containing the fires, they continue to burn as of Monday afternoon. The forest agency has issued “severe” fire warnings, its highest alert level, across multiple regions including North and South Gyeongsang provinces, Busan, and Daejeon.

A major wildfire in Sancheong county, located about 250 kilometers (155 miles) southeast of Seoul, was particularly deadly, resulting in four fatalities over the weekend. Although containment efforts have made headway, the fire remains active.

In response to the escalating crisis, the government declared a state of emergency in the affected areas, citing “extensive damage caused by simultaneous wildfires across the country.” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who resumed his role as acting president earlier on Monday, visited the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, urging collaboration among authorities “until the wildfires are completely extinguished.” He called the situation “truly heartbreaking” and expressed his intention to meet with those affected later in the day.

The leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, called for the mobilization of all available resources to swiftly and safely suppress the fires and to implement measures to prevent future wildfires.

While some extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall, are well-linked to climate change, the factors contributing to phenomena like forest fires, droughts, snowstorms, and tropical storms are often complex and multifaceted.