 |
| Cows dead due to the wildfire in a livestock farm in Andong city |
📍 Massive Wildfire Spreads Across North Gyeongsang Province
The devastating wildfire that ignited in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, has now been burning uncontrollably for five consecutive days, spreading to Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok.
The disaster has resulted in one of the deadliest wildfires in South Korea’s history, surpassing the infamous 2000 East Coast Wildfire. The flames, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions, continue to consume thousands of hectares of land, leaving entire communities in ruins and forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee.
🚁 Firefighting Helicopter Crashes, Killing Veteran Pilot
 |
| Crashed helicopter in Uiseong |
Tragedy struck during firefighting operations when a helicopter crashed at approximately 12:54 PM on March 26 in Gyoan-ri, Sinpyeong-myeon, Uiseong County.
The aircraft, an S-76B helicopter leased from Inje County, Gangwon Province, was engaged in fire suppression efforts when it suddenly went down. The pilot, a 70-year-old veteran, was found deceased at the crash site.
💔 Rising Death Toll & Injured Persons
As of now, officials have confirmed 24 deaths, making this one of the deadliest wildfires in recent South Korean history. Additionally, 12 persons are seriously injured.
The victims were discovered in various locations, including roads, home courtyards, and vehicles, suggesting that they were either unable to escape the rapidly spreading flames or perished in accidents while attempting to evacuate.
Casualties by region:
- Uiseong: 20 deaths
- Sancheong: 4 deaths
🔥 Unprecedented Scale of Destruction
 |
| Wildfire in resident area |
The wildfire has already consumed an estimated 20,000 hectares (49,400 acres) of land, with emergency response teams struggling to contain the flames due to strong winds. The fire has been expanding so rapidly that officials are unable to estimate the total impact zone accurately.
Property damage includes:
✅ 275 buildings completely destroyed, including:
- 150 homes
- 1 factory
- 43 warehouses
- 63 additional structures
✅ 330 buildings partially damaged
🚨 Over 23,000 Residents Forced to Evacuate
 |
| Residents evacuated due to the wildfire |
With the fire continuing to spread uncontrollably, more than 23,300 residents across seven cities and counties have been ordered to evacuate for their safety.
Evacuation numbers by region:
- Cheongsong: 10,391 people (Nearly half of the county’s population)
- Yeongdeok: 4,345 people
- Andong: 4,052 people
- Uiseong: 2,737 people
- Yeongyang: 1,493 people
- Uljin: 285 people
Authorities have designated emergency shelters in schools, community centers, and gymnasiums, but some shelters have already reached capacity due to the overwhelming number of displaced residents.
😢 Survivors Share Their Devastation
 |
| A temple in fire |
Residents who have lost their homes and livelihoods describe unimaginable suffering as they watch their communities burn to the ground.
🔹 Kim Dong-jin (60) from Andong’s Gil-an Township:
"Most of our village has been wiped out by the flames. Some areas are still burning, carried by strong winds. This is nothing short of a national disaster—people are in shock, unable to comprehend the scale of this destruction."
🔍 Comparing South Korea’s Deadliest Wildfires
 |
| Locations of wildfires in South Korea in 2025 |
📌 2000 East Coast Wildfire (April 7–16, 2000)
- 23,794 hectares burned (82 times the size of Yeouido)
- 2 deaths, 418 homes destroyed, 1,872 people displaced
- $75 million (1094억원) in damages
📌 2019 Gangwon Wildfire (April 4–6, 2019)
- 1,757 hectares burned
- 2 deaths, 916 homes destroyed, 4,200 people displaced
- $90 million (1300억원) in damages
📌 2022 Uljin-Samcheok Wildfire (March 4–13, 2022)
- 20,923 hectares burned (South Korea’s longest-lasting wildfire, 213 hours)
- 1 death, 570 homes destroyed, 340 people displaced
- $109 million (1600억원) in damages
🌍 What’s Next? Ongoing Efforts to Contain the Fire
The government has mobilized over 87 helicopters and nearly 4,900 personnel to battle the inferno. Since the fire started, over 300 aircraft and 18,000 responders have been deployed in an all-out effort to control the blaze.
Authorities are closely monitoring wind patterns and weather conditions, as strong winds continue to fuel the flames and complicate containment efforts. If the fire spreads to additional areas, the damage could skyrocket beyond current projections.
With thousands still displaced and uncertainty looming, residents are desperate for relief. The road to recovery and rebuilding will be long, and for many, life may never return to normal.
📚 Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
- 의성 산불 (Uiseong sanbul) = Uiseong wildfire
- 사망자 (samangja) = fatalities
- 역대 최악 (yeokdae choeak) = worst in history
- 기록되다 (girokdoeda) = to be recorded
- 피해 면적 (pihae myeonjeok) = damage area
- 2만㏊ 육박 (2man haek yukbak) = approaching 20,000 hectares
- 주민 대피 (jumin daepi) = resident evacuation
- 4개 시군 (negae sigun) = 4 cities/counties
- 확산 (hwaksan) = spread
Translation:
"24 fatalities in Uiseong wildfire...Likely to be recorded as 'worst wildfire in history.' Damage area approaches 20,000ha, over 23,000 residents evacuated, spreads to 4 cities/counties."
Reference: naver news
🔍 SEO Keywords:
- South Korea wildfire 2024,
- Uiseong wildfire update,
- Korea disaster news,
- Andong wildfire,
- Worst wildfires in Korea,
- Korean forest fire,
- South Korea wildfire helicopter crash,
- largest wildfire in South Korea,