Uljin Wildfire Moving South Again... Emergency Firefighting Amid Strong Winds and Smoke

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The wildfires in Uljin and Samcheok, which were moving northward, have shifted southward with strong winds, causing an emergency in firefighting efforts.

The thick smoke covering the sky as the fire burns through the forest, combined with the strong winds, is making it difficult for forestry and firefighting authorities to control the blaze.

The wildfire, which first broke out on the night of the 4th in Ducheon-ri, Buk-myeon, Uljin-gun, spread northward to Samcheok, Gangwon Province, but on the 5th, the wind direction changed, causing it to spread southward again.

The flames rapidly spread southward beyond the existing wildfire impact area into Uljin-eup and Jukbyeon-myeon, prompting evacuation orders for residents in villages near the fire.

There was also a tense situation as the fire spread near the gas station and refueling station in Uljin-eup.

Forestry and firefighting authorities are focusing on stopping the southward advance of the wildfire and protecting nuclear power plants, gas storage facilities, power transmission equipment, and the Geumgang Pine Forest in Sogwang-ri.

In Uljin, strong winds of 27 meters per second are still blowing, and thick haze is making helicopter access difficult. Especially as wildfires are simultaneously breaking out in other regions such as Gangneung, Busan, and Daegu, helicopters are being dispersed, delaying firefighting efforts. Additional helicopters are planned to be deployed to Uljin.

Currently, 46 helicopters are engaged in aerial firefighting, and 4,296 personnel are deployed on the ground focusing on area containment.

As the wildfires in Uljin and Samcheok continue to spread, the scale of forest damage is also increasing. The wildfire impact area currently stands at 8,571 hectares, with 7,941 hectares in Uljin and 630 hectares in Samcheok. Facilities damaged include 153 houses, 34 warehouses, and a total of 206 locations burned.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.