South Korea resumed flying firefighting helicopters on Wednesday following a fatal crash, as emergency personnel continued efforts to control devastating wildfires that have led to the evacuation of more than 37,000 residents and severely impacted historical and Buddhist sites in the country’s southeastern region. The fires have claimed at least 26 lives to date, including four civil servants assisting with firefighting efforts, and caused substantial damage to cultural heritage sites.

Central among the heritage losses was the 1,300-year-old Gounsa Temple in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province, approximately 200 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Photographs from the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism showed that the temple’s structures had largely been reduced to ashes, with only the ceremonial bell remaining partially intact. Prior to the fire reaching the temple, essential artifacts were safely relocated to other temples, including a seated stone Buddha statue, designated by the government as a national treasure.

In a public statement, representatives from the Jogye Order expressed profound sadness over the loss, noting the historical and spiritual significance of Gounsa Temple, which has served as an important center for Buddhist practice and pilgrimage for centuries.

In a separate incident yesterday, a firefighting helicopter crashed in Uiseong County, resulting in the pilot’s death. The authorities confirmed that the pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter.

Fires were still burning on Wednesday night, driven by strong winds. A forest disaster expert at Korea’s National Institute of Forest Science, Lee Byung-doo, noted that climate change was projected to make wildfires more common: “We have to admit large-scale wildfires are going to increase and prepare more resources and manpower.” (The Guardian)

South Korean Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo described the fires as causing “unprecedented damage” and urged continued efforts to contain them.“We need to focus all our capabilities on extinguishing wildfires for the rest of this week as we’re concerned about unprecedented wildfire damages,” Han told a press briefing. “Damages are snowballing. There are concerns that we’ll have wildfire damages that we’ve never experienced, so we have to concentrate all our capabilities to put out the wildfires in the rest of this week.” (CNN, NPR)

Reportedly originating from a lawn mower spark on 21 March in Sancheong County, South Gyeongsang Province, the wildfires have spread rapidly due to extremely dry and windy conditions. As of 26 March, some 17,398 hectares of land had been affected. More than 10,000 firefighters, police, and civil servants have been deployed to fight the fires, achieving roughly 68 per cent containment in the Uiseong and Andong regions by mid-week.

Another site of concern is Hahoe Folk Village in Andong City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its traditional Korean hanok houses. Firefighters and the local authorities have evacuated residents and created defensive measures, including water barriers, to protect the culturally significant location.

The South Korean government declared a state of emergency on Saturday for Ulsan City and North and South Gyeongsang provinces. On Tuesday, the Korea Forest Service elevated its wildfire warning to the highest possible “serious” level nationwide, calling for increased emergency responses and stricter access controls to forests and parks.

Officials expressed concern that the projected five millimeters of rainfall forecast for Thursday in northern North Gyeongsang Province would do little to support firefighting operations or mitigate further damage.

Wildfires commonly occur in South Korea during the dry season between February and April, but this year’s fires have been especially severe, with 244 incidents so far recorded—more than double the number reported in the same period last year.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appealed to the public for cooperation and vigilance in preventing wildfires, emphasizing the importance of collective responsibility in safeguarding the country’s natural and cultural heritage.

See more

South Korea fires: 18 dead as acting president speaks of ‘unprecedented damage’ (The Guardian)
Wildfires ravage South Korea, killing 18 and destroying a 1,300-year-old temple (NPR)
At least 24 dead in South Korea’s ‘worst ever fires’ (BBC)
Over 36,000 ha scorched, 26 dead in largest forest fire, drizzle unlikely to help (The Korean Herald)
Wildfires burn down 7th-century temple, threaten UNESCO sites (The Korean Herald)

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