Firefighters are racing to save people and ancient artefacts from the largest wildfires in South Korea’s history, which have killed at least 26 people so far.
The fires have gutted a 1,300-year-old temple in Uiseong city and are threatening other cultural sites.
Tens of thousands have also been displaced in the blazes, which started in the south-east on 21 March
Most of those killed were in their 60s and 70s, local officials say.
Eyewitnesses described apocalyptic scenes as fires engulfed their homes, with one man telling the BBC the damage in his city has been “devastating”
Authorities believe human activities started multiple fires, but strong winds and dry land allowed them to spread quickly
The winds also make it dangerous for helicopters to operate – one crashed while fighting the fires on Tuesday.
The largest wildfires in South Korea’s recorded history have engulfed more than 35,000 hectares within the space of a week.
Tens of thousands have been displaced in the blazes, which broke out in Sancheong county on 21 March.
The wildfires in South Korea, which started on 21 March and have killed at least 26 people, have since spread to cover more than 36,000 hectares – larger than recent wildfires that have similarly made headlines and sent panic rippling through local communities.
In January, the Southern California wildfires that tore through 23,000 hectares of land in and around Los Angeles killed 29 people.
Wildfires in the northern Japanese city of Ofunato earlier this month torched more than 2,600 hectares and killed one person. Thousands were evacuated during those fires, which were the country’s worst in half a century.
New fires have also broken out this week in western Japan, destroying 15 buildings and burning through a cumulative 900 hectares.
Experts say that climate change has amplified wildfires, especially in temperate areas, making them more frequent and larger.
South Korea’s disaster chief Lee Han-gyeong said on Thursday that the country was “witnessing the reality of climate crisis like never before”.
The wildfires in South Korea, which started on 21 March and have killed at least 26 people, have since spread to cover more than 36,000 hectares – larger than recent wildfires that have similarly made headlines and sent panic rippling through local communities.
In January, the Southern California wildfires that tore through 23,000 hectares of land in and around Los Angeles killed 29 people.
Wildfires in the northern Japanese city of Ofunato earlier this month torched more than 2,600 hectares and killed one person. Thousands were evacuated during those fires, which were the country’s worst in half a century.
New fires have also broken out this week in western Japan, destroying 15 buildings and burning through a cumulative 900 hectares.
Experts say that climate change has amplified wildfires, especially in temperate areas, making them more frequent and larger.
South Korea’s disaster chief Lee Han-gyeong said on Thursday that the country was “witnessing the reality of climate crisis like never before”.