# South Korea's wildfires kill at least 24 as winds and drought slow the response

Wildfires across South Korea have killed at least 24 people, according to DW's report, as dry winds and drought complicate efforts to contain some of the country's most destructive blazes in years.

Acting president Han Duck-soo said the fires had caused "unprecedented damage" and warned that the situation was outstripping earlier expectations. He told an emergency meeting that the blaze was developing in ways that exceeded existing prediction models, an assessment that captures how rapidly the fires escalated and how difficult they have been to control.

The fires began on Friday in several places, with more than a dozen outbreaks reported in Sancheong County in the southeast. Officials said that dozens of vehicles and thousands of firefighters were deployed, but strong winds and a prolonged drought kept the fires moving and slowed rescue efforts. The government responded by raising the crisis alert to its highest level and ordering large-scale evacuations.

DW reported that thousands of residents were told to leave their homes, while even prison inmates were evacuated from detention centers in affected counties. The Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was also said to be in danger. That puts the fires among the country's most consequential emergency events, not only because of the loss of life but because they have threatened historic and densely populated areas.

The human cost extends beyond the death toll. Safety ministry officials told AFP that six people were seriously injured and about 13 suffered minor injuries, suggesting the full casualty picture may still be developing. DW also said a helicopter involved in firefighting crashed and that the pilot was killed, adding another fatality to a disaster already stretching response resources.

The scale of the infrastructure disruption has been severe. Han said power and communication lines were cut in several areas, roads were blocked, and the government was working to provide shelter and financial support for those displaced. Thousands of firefighters were deployed, but the report said strong winds and shifting conditions limited conventional firefighting methods.

One detail that stands out is the speed of the evacuations. Some residents had to flee at a few moments' notice, an indication that the fires were moving faster than local systems could manage. One resident quoted by AFP said the fire came down from the mountain and left him able to take only himself when he fled. That kind of account illustrates how quickly the disaster forced people to abandon homes and belongings.

A forecast of rain later in the day offered some hope of relief, but the situation remained dangerous enough for officials to keep warning of continued fire risk. DW's report makes clear that the blaze was not a single isolated event but a nationwide emergency spreading across multiple provinces. It also shows how weather, terrain and time all combined to leave responders fighting a fast-moving disaster on several fronts at once.

*Event date: 2025-03-26.*

Citations

  • DW source 4245: death toll, government response, evacuations, helicopter crash, injuries, and infrastructure disruption.