Wed Mar 26 07:04:22 UTC 2025: ## South Korea Battles Devastating Wildfires; 19 Dead, Thousands Evacuated
**Seoul, South Korea** – Devastating wildfires fueled by strong winds have ripped through South Korea’s southern regions, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of at least 19 people, including four firefighters and government workers. Over 27,000 residents have been evacuated from their homes, and more than 200 buildings have been destroyed, including parts of a historic Buddhist temple.
The fires, which began last Friday, have scorched an estimated 43,330 acres (17,535 hectares) of land, making them the third-largest in South Korea’s history by area burned. The blazes have spread across multiple locations, with the most significant damage reported in Andong, Uiseong, Sancheong, and Ulsan.
In Uiseong, nearly half of the structures at Gounsa, a seventh-century Buddhist temple, were destroyed. This includes two state-designated treasures: a 17th-century pavilion and a structure from the Joseon Dynasty. While an eighth-century stone Buddha statue was successfully evacuated, the damage to the historic site is significant.
The death toll includes a helicopter pilot who died Wednesday while battling the fires in Uiseong. Nineteen others have been injured. In Cheongsong, 500 inmates were evacuated from a detention center as a precaution.
The nationwide wildfire warning has been raised to the highest level, prompting increased emergency response efforts, forest access restrictions, and a suspension of military live-fire exercises. Authorities suspect human error, including the use of fire for land clearing and welding sparks, may be responsible for some of the fires. The investigation into the causes of the fires is ongoing.
First Piper 