Firefighters find it difficult to contain forest fires, which continue to grow quickly, powered by strong winds and dry conditions.
The South Korean authorities said that the forest fires have ever struck the country, while the number of deaths increased and the affected area has doubled.
Forest fires – which started late Friday in Sancheong County in the north of the province of Gyeongsang – have now killed at least 26 people, local authorities announced on Thursday.
About 81,500 acres (33,000 hectares) burned, more than double the area which was reported on Wednesday and far exceeding the worst Forest Fire in South Korea in March 2000, which burned 59,000 acres (24,000 hectares) of land.
“We are nationally in a critical situation with many victims due to the unprecedented rapid spread of forest fires,” said the acting president of South Korea, Han Duck-Soo, to a government intervention meeting, reports the Reuters news agency.
South Korea relied on a fleet of more than 120 helicopters to fight fires in several regions – including Gyeongbuk, Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Sancheong – which have spread on mountainous land in the south -east of the country, powered by dry and dry winds.
The South Korea Meteorological Agency has planned rains, but precipitation should be less than 5 mm in most affected areas.
“The amount of rain is going to be small, so it does not seem to be a great help to try to turn off the fire,” said Minister of the Forest Service of Korea Lim Sang-Seop.
Government representatives have said that human error has probably caused fires, citing potential artificial triggers, including the use of fire to eliminate the overwhelmed grass by family graves or sparks from welding equipment.
Many affected areas have also known only half of the average precipitation this season, the authorities said.
On Saturday, four government firefighters and government employees died in the county of Sancheong, in the south of Gyeongsang, after being trapped by fast flames. A pilot also died when his helicopter crashed during efforts to contain a fire in a mountainous area of Uiseong.
Nearly 30,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their houses while fires are tearing into the neighborhoods and firefighters find it difficult to contain several flames that rage simultaneously.
Flames have also engulfed half of the 30 structures that make up the Buddhist temple of Gounsa in the county of Uiseong. Originally built in the 7th century, among the damaged buildings in Gounsa are two “treasures” designated by the State – a flag -shaped structure erected in 1668 and a structure of the Joseon dynasty built in 1904.
The authorities also issued an emergency alert for the UNESCO World Heritage site, Hahoe Folk Village in Andong County while the fire is getting closer.
