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Korea Herald
17-04-2025
- Climate
- Korea Herald
North Gyeongsang Province wildfire damage doubles to nearly 90,000 hectares
Damages estimated at 1.13 trillion won A joint government survey revealed Thursday that the scale of forest damage caused by recent wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province was nearly double the initial estimate released by the Korea Forest Service. According to the investigation by local governments and related authorities, including the Korea Forest Service, the wildfires that raged from March 21 for nearly 10 days across Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok in North Gyeongsang province scorched nearly 90,000 hectares — equivalent to nearly 1 1/2 times the size of Seoul and a sharp contrast from the previously announced 45,157 hectares. The latest figure is four times larger than the 2000 East Coast wildfire damage, previously considered the worst in South Korean history. It is unusual for the actual damage to significantly exceed the estimated impact area, as the affected area typically refers to the region enclosed by fire lines during suppression operations. Authorities said they would finalize assessing the damage scale and release an official report in the coming days. In addition to forest damage, the wildfire's toll on public and private property has been tentatively estimated at 1.13 trillion won ($795 million). The fires caused private property losses of about 509 billion won and public facility damage of roughly 621.6 billion won — with forest-related losses alone accounting for 583.1 billion won, or 94 percent of the public sector damage. North Gyeongsang Province said the assessments of damage to private property — including homes, crops and livestock — were extended until Thursday for accuracy. Based on these findings, the ministries will discuss the final disaster relief and recovery budget, to be confirmed by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters by the end of April or early May.
Korea Herald
06-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
3 Indonesian wildfire heroes granted long-term residency visas
The government said Sunday that three Indonesian sailors who helped other residents evacuate from the recent wildfires in the southeastern region were granted F-2-16 long-term residency visas, issued to individuals who made a special contribution to the country. "It has been decided to grant long-term residency based on special contributions to three people of Indonesian nationality who helped senior citizens to safety during the recent wildfires... We offer sincere gratitude to those who saved the lives of neighbors with no regard to their own," said Lee Han-kyung, deputy chief of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Officials said the Ministry of Justice notified them of the decision on Saturday. It was reported last week that the Justice Ministry was reviewing granting an F-2 visa to 31-year-old sailor Sugianto, a resident of Yeongdeok-gun, North Gyeongsang Province who carried some 60 of his neighbors on his back to safety when the fire spread to his village at around 10 p.m. March 25. The village chief who helped evacuate the residents with Sugianto told local media outlets that he was a "kind young man," who would frequently help older residents carry heavy bags and fix household appliances. Two other Indonesian sailors, one from Yeongdeok-gun and the other from Uljin-gun of the same province, were also granted the same long-term residence visa. The wildfires that ravaged across the southeastern region left 31 dead and 51 injured, according to the officials, Sunday. The largest wildfires in the country's history are thought to have consumed over 45,000 hectares in the northern North Gyeongsang Province alone, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents in the area.
Al Bawaba
27-03-2025
- Climate
- Al Bawaba
Death toll from wildfires in South Korea reaches 26
ISTANBUL The number of people killed in wildfires sweeping across parts of South Korea has risen to 26, authorities said Thursday. The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters said wildfires in North and South Gyeongsang provinces have caused 56 casualties: 26 deaths, eight serious injuries, and 22 light injuries, according to Yonhap News Agency. As many as 37,185 residents have been displaced, including 29,911 in the Uiseong and Andong areas about 190 kilometers (118 miles) southeast of Seoul. Some 20,485 people have returned home after evacuation, while the remaining 16,700 are still staying in shelters. Three elderly residents died when a vehicle carrying them became engulfed in flames during an evacuation of a nursing home which housed 21 residents, all in their 70s and 80s, in Yeongdeok-eup, Yeongdeok County in eastern South Korea. The flames also gutted the historic Gounsa Temple in Uiseong County, originally built in 681 AD by a Buddhist monk during the Silla Dynasty. Cultural officials moved the temple's 9th-century Stone Seated Buddha and other historical artifacts to safety before the fire reached the site. Thousands of firefighters, dozens of helicopters and emergency vehicles have been deployed since the fires began last Friday in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province. Fueled by strong, dry winds, the wildfires have since spread rapidly north to Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok. The South Korean military has also deployed an estimated 5,000 service members and sent 146 helicopters to help fight the fires alongside thousands of firefighters. The Korea Forest Service said the fire extinguishing rate stood at 52% in Andong, 54% in Uiseong and 77% in Sancheong, Hadong and Cheongsong, respectively. Korea University announced Wednesday that it will offer scholarships to students from the areas affected by the wildfires.
Ammon
25-03-2025
- Climate
- Ammon
Wildfires burn about 15,000 hectares of woodland in Korea
Ammon News - The Korean government announced that wildfires raging in the southeast of the country over the past several days have burned 14,694 hectares of woodland, caused 15 casualties, including four fatalities, and left more than 3,300 people displaced, Yonhap News Agency said Tuesday. Acting Interior Minister Ko Ki-dong announced the latest extent of forest fire damage at a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters in Seoul, saying the firefighting efforts are impeded by strong winds, dry weather and other inclement conditions. The government will mobilise all available resources, including 110 helicopters and 6,700 personnel, on Tuesday to contain the wildfires in Sancheong, Hadong and Gimhae, all in South Gyeongsang Province; Uiseong of North Gyeongsang Province; and Ulsan's Ulju district, Ko said. Firefighters had contained an average of 88 percent of the wildfires in the five regions as of 7 am Tuesday, the minister said, adding efforts will also be made to prevent the blaze from spreading to residential areas. Local governments have also implemented various safety measures, such as blocking roads and evacuating residents in advance, to minimise damage from the fires, he said. Ko noted that a total of 234 forest fires occurred nationwide this year, and most of them were caused by accidental fires by mountain visitors and burning of agricultural byproducts or trash. WAM
