Summary
- At least 18 reported dead as wildfires rage in southeastern South Korea
- Tens of thousands forced to flee their homes
- Uiseong fire only 68% contained, exacerbated by strong winds
- Climate change projected to increase frequency of large-scale wildfires
UISEONG COUNTY, South Korea, March 26 – At least 18 people have died as multiple wildfires rage across South Korea’s southeastern region, with thousands of firefighters aided by the military deployed in a bid to contain one of the country’s worst forest fires in decades.
The deadly wildfires have spread rapidly and forced more than 27,000 residents to flee their homes, the government said. The blazes, fuelled by strong winds and dry weather, have razed entire neighbourhoods, closed schools and forced authorities to transfer hundreds of inmates from prisons.