South Korea Battles Worst Wildfires Amid Weather Break

Post by: Pratik Kumar

Photo : AP

Light rain helped firefighters in South Korea as they continued to fight the worst wildfires in the country's history. The fires have already burned a huge area of land, and strong winds have made the situation worse. Firefighters worked hard on Friday to stop the flames from spreading further.

The fire started in Uiseong County and has now spread across a 70-kilometer area. At least 28 people have died, and the fire has burned over 111,197 acres of forests and farmland. Many people had to leave their homes as the fire moved quickly to coastal areas.

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The Korea Forest Service Minister, Lim Sang-seop, said on Friday that the weather was helping, and there was a good chance to control the fire. "We are using all our resources to stop the main fires today," he said.

Firefighters have put out 95% of the fire in Uiseong, and 85% of the fire in Andong city, which has UNESCO heritage sites. However, in Yeongdeok County, near the east coast, the fire is still burning, and a large part of the area is in flames.

On Thursday, light rain fell in some places, but it was less than 3mm. This was not enough to stop the fire, but forest service spokesperson Kim Jong-gun said it gave "a little help" in slowing it down.

More than 80 helicopters started flying on Friday morning to drop water on the fire. South Korea relies on helicopters because the land is very mountainous. But these helicopters cannot fly at night, and they also stop working when smoke and strong winds make it dangerous.

The Uiseong fire is now the biggest single forest fire in South Korean history. It has burned an area two-thirds the size of Singapore, which is much larger than the Los Angeles fires in January.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo of North Gyeongsang Province said the country needs to change the way it fights wildfires. He said the fire was so strong that even boats in the sea caught fire. Twelve boats burned because flying embers landed on them. The governor suggested using bigger airplanes to help put out fires faster in the future.

Experts said this fire spread very fast and was unusually large. A forest service official said that satellite images showed the fire moved at 8.2 km per hour, which is as fast as an adult running. Scientists believe climate change is making wildfires more common and more dangerous.

The wildfires have forced more than 30,000 people to leave their homes. Many of them are older people who have lost everything. The fire has destroyed houses, temples, and forests, leaving behind ashes and ruins.

The United States has sent a message of support. The U.S. State Department said it was ready to help South Korea in this crisis. The U.S. also remembered that South Korea helped fight wildfires in Los Angeles and Hawaii before.

"Just as you have helped us, we will help you," said U.S. spokesperson Tammy Bruce. She also said that American military forces were ready to assist if needed.

South Korean firefighters continue their fight against the fire. Authorities hope they can stop the flames before the wind gets stronger again.

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