Deadly wildfires rage across South Korea, thousands evacuated

More than a dozen wildfires erupted over the weekend in South Korea, killing four people and threatening the country's historical sites and residents.

Dry, windy weather has hampered firefighting efforts, and authorities are now dealing with one of the worst fire outbreaks in recent history.

As of Tuesday, Acting Interior and Safety Minister Ko Ki-dong reported that the wildfires had scorched approximately 14,694 hectares (36,310 acres) of land, making this the third largest wildfire outbreak in South Korea's history. The worst wildfire on record occurred in April 2000, when 23,913 hectares were burned.

"Strong winds, dry weather, and haze are hampering firefighting efforts," Ko said during a disaster and safety meeting.

The government has declared a state of emergency in four regions and issued evacuation orders for thousands of people. In Andong, 79-year-old Kwon So-han described the terrifying experience: "The fire came from the mountain and fell on my house. Those who haven’t experienced it won’t know. I could only bring my body."

On Tuesday evening, authorities issued an emergency alert to residents of the UNESCO-listed Hahoe Folk Village, urging them to evacuate as the blaze neared the historic site.

In the southeastern regions of Uiseong and Andong, firefighters are struggling to contain the fires, with containment in Uiseong dropping from 60 to 55 percent on Tuesday. At Gounsa Temple, over a thousand years old, workers were seen using fire-retardant blankets to protect valuable Buddhist statues. Sadly, the temple was later destroyed by the flames.

To further combat the spread, around 3,500 inmates from local correctional facilities have been transferred to nearby prisons as a precaution.

More than 6,700 firefighters are battling the flames, with nearly two-fifths of them deployed in Uiseong. Experts say the combination of extreme dry conditions and strong winds has created an environment where even a small spark could lead to a rapid spread of the fires.

In neighboring Japan, wildfires also broke out over the weekend, with the country recently experiencing its worst wildfire in more than 50 years, which burned nearly 2,900 hectares and claimed at least one life.

The wildfires in both countries have highlighted the growing threat of extreme weather events, which experts warn may be exacerbated by climate change.