Residents in Hadong County, located approximately 290 kilometers southeast of Seoul, were urged to evacuate on Monday as a wildfire broke out in the mountainous region, according to the Korea Forest Service.
The blaze, which began at 12:05 p.m., has prompted a swift response from authorities who deployed 15 firefighting helicopters and 105 personnel to contain the flames. Hadong is one of the areas previously ravaged by South Korea’s worst wildfires, which were only recently brought under control late last month.
A man in his 70s sustained burn injuries on both hands while attempting to extinguish the fire himself. He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Authorities suspect that the fire may have been accidentally started by the same individual while using a turf cutter. An investigation into the precise cause will commence once the fire is fully extinguished, Yonhap news agency reported.
The incident comes amid heightened concern over wildfire risks in the region, as the South Korean government issued strong wind advisories earlier in the day. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, winds reaching speeds of up to 20 meters per second are expected along coastal regions, with even stronger gusts—exceeding 25 mps—forecasted for the mountainous areas of Gangwon Province between Monday evening and Tuesday noon.
Lee Han-kyung, Deputy Chief of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, emphasized the urgency of wildfire prevention efforts in light of the weather conditions.
“We expect very speedy winds similar to those experienced during the recent wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province,” Lee said. “We urge the public to adhere strictly to fire prevention guidelines, avoid illegal incineration, and exercise extreme caution with any activity that could spark a fire.”
In anticipation of potential flare-ups, the Korea Forest Service and the National Fire Agency have preemptively deployed additional firefighting personnel and aerial resources to Gangwon and North Gyeongsang Province’s eastern coastal regions.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as efforts to bring the Hadong wildfire under control remain ongoing.
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