South Korea struggles to control wildfires

A raging wildfire in South Korea has worsened, with dry weather and winds hampering efforts to contain one of the country’s deadliest wildfires, officials said Tuesday. More than a dozen different types of fires have broken out this week. The security minister said thousands of hectares of land have been burned, thousands of people have been evacuated and four people have died. “So far, the fires have burned about 14,694 hectares (36,310 acres) and the damage is increasing,” said acting interior and security minister Ko Ki-dong. It would be the third-largest wildfire in South Korea’s history in terms of damage. The previous largest was in April 2000, which burned 23,913 hectares (59,090 acres) along the east coast. Acting Home Affairs and Security Minister Ko Ki-dong told a disaster and security meeting that more than 3,000 people had been taken to shelters. At least 11 people were seriously injured. He said strong winds, dry weather and fog were hampering firefighting efforts. He said 110 helicopters and more than 6,700 personnel would be deployed today. AFP reporters saw smoke and fog filling the skies over Wisong. Workers at a local temple were trying to remove historical artifacts and cover Buddha statues to protect them from possible damage. The Korea Forest Service said the containment rate in Wisong had dropped to 60 to 55 percent by Tuesday morning. More than 6,700 firefighters have been deployed to fight the blaze, with about two-fifths of the personnel sent to Wisong, according to the Home Affairs and Security Ministry. The government has declared a state of emergency in four regions, citing “massive damage from simultaneous fires across the country.” Source: AFP