What caused South Korea's largest ever wildfires?

Independent

28-03-2025

As South Korea reels from its largest-ever wildfire, it is unclear what started blaze, but the 'harsh reality' of the conditions that led to the rapid spread are becoming harder to ignore, experts say.
After a week, efforts still continue to contain the fire that killed at least 28 people and destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of land and ancient Buddhist temples.
The wildfires have scorched nearly 48,000 hectares (118,000 acres) across the country's southeastern mountains and towns – the largest wildfire event in South Korea's recorded history.
The fires began in Uiseong County and spread rapidly to Andong, Yeongdeok, and Sancheong, driven by dry conditions and gusty winds. As of Friday, the fires were 85 per cent contained, thanks to light rain and a drop in temperature on Thursday evening.
Acting President Han Duck Soo called it a 'nationay critical situation' earlier this week, urging emergency teams to assume the worst and act accordingly.
Authorities deployed more than 9,000 personnel, 125 helicopters, and hundreds of vehicles to tackle the flames. But the scale of destruction, which includes thousands of destroyed homes and structures, injuries to dozens, and more than 30,000 people forced to evacuate, has triggered urgent questions about what caused these fires to escalate so quickly and if South Korea, or any other country, is prepared for fires of this scale.
Initial reports blamed human activities for starting the fire, however, the police haven't found any suspects yet. However, what transpired afterwards was a familiar pattern of a combination of climate crisis, shifting land-use patterns, and seasonal vulnerability driving the fires and escalating the risk.
'Climate change is a key driver behind these fires,' said Dr Douglas Kelley, a land surface modeller at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. 'Rising temperatures and more intense, unpredictable droughts are creating the perfect conditions for wildfires to spread. South Korea is likely to face more frequent winter droughts in the future.'
Recent research by Korean scientists shows wildfires are already becoming more common and starting earlier in the year. Between 1991 and 2020, South Korea averaged more than one wildfire every day
'The wildfire season is lengthening and shifting earlier into March, as we see now,' said Professor Ilan Kelman from University College London. 'The key factors in worsening wildfires are land-use changes, including afforestation, and human-caused climate change.'
These changes in landscape, such as expanding towns, building roads, or planting new forests, can unintentionally make fires worse by introducing more flammable vegetation or breaking up natural barriers that would once have slowed the flames.
South Korea has committed to afforestation over the past decades, and while its efforts may have been successful in restoring forests after the Korean War, certain areas where immature forests dominate may be more fire prone than others.
'Mature trees are more resilient to wildfires,' explained Dr Thomas Smith, associate professor in environmental geography at the London School of Economics. 'But immature woodlands can create connectivity between the ground and canopy, allowing fire to travel upward and spread quickly.'
Mr Smith said the scale of the fire was 'astonishing', two parallel fire fronts spanning 90 km from the east coast inland, stretching towards the shore – a scale he likened to 'an almost continuous wildfire from Liverpool to Leeds' in UK terms.
The timing of the fire has also worsened its severity. Much of the vegetation in the region remains dormant in early spring, meaning plants cannot regulate moisture levels and dry out rapidly in warm, windy conditions.
'This is a particularly dangerous time of year,' said Smith. 'Shrubby fuels are extremely vulnerable before the spring 'green-up'. The weather has been unusually warm – up to 10C above average.'
The vulnerability of cultural heritage was also a concern. Among the losses was Gounsa Temple, a 1,300-year-old wooden Buddhist site in Uiseong. Traditional structures like this are especially at risk from windborne embers, which can ignite flammable wooden buildings even at a distance, said Dr Zakary Campbell-Lochrie, a fire science lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.
'Under certain conditions, the fire can spread rapidly between structures, with each becoming a source of firebrand generation,' he said.
For many, the trauma is still unfolding. In Andong, 79-year-old Seo Jae Tak broke down at a temporary shelter after seeing the mountain behind his home reduced to ash. 'It's just unbelievable, I can't even put it into words. All I can do is cry,' he said.
Officials say the country must now rethink its wildfire response systems. Lee Cheol-woo, governor of North Gyeongsang Province, called for a complete overhaul of current strategies, including night-time firefighting tools and improved evacuation plans for elderly residents.
'We don't have the equipment for firefighting at night,' he said. 'With the increased density of our forests, it's difficult to manage with just manual efforts.'
Experts agree that while strong winds and seasonal factors played a role, the fingerprint of the climate crisis is clear.
'Only three months into 2025, we've already seen record-breaking wildfire activity in multiple regions,' said Dr Kimberley Simpson, fellow in nature-based climate solutions at the University of Sheffield.
'The conditions that give rise to these devastating fires are becoming more frequent – and we must prepare for more.'