South Korea is facing its largest wildfire disaster on record, with blazes raging for nearly a week in the country’s southeast, claiming the lives of 28 people as of Friday.
According to Lee Han-kyung, head of South Korea’s disaster management agency, the fires have spread rapidly, devastating an area of 35,810 hectares. This surpasses the previous record set by the 2000 East Coast wildfire by more than 10,000 hectares.
Lee described the disaster as a stark reminder of the “harsh reality of the climate crisis,” pointing to extreme drought and strong winds as key factors worsening the situation. He also noted that rainfall in the affected regions this season was less than half of the usual average, exacerbating the catastrophe.
Authorities continue efforts to contain the fires, but with ongoing severe weather conditions, the risk of further destruction remains high
