Daegu: Firefighters successfully brought the main blaze of a wildfire in the southeastern city of Daegu under control, nearly 23 hours after it first erupted, forcing the evacuation of over 2,000 residents.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the fire began Monday afternoon on Mount Hamji in northern Daegu, approximately 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul. By around 1 p.m. Tuesday, the fire was largely extinguished. Authorities had issued the highest-level wildfire response late Monday as the blaze, driven by strong winds, rapidly advanced toward nearby villages. Although there have been no reported casualties, the situation led to the evacuation of over 2,000 villagers and temporarily restricted traffic at a nearby highway interchange, which was reopened early Tuesday as conditions improved.
The wildfire scorched an area equivalent to 364 soccer fields, affecting roughly 260 hectares of forest. Officials cautioned that damage assessments might increase following further inspections.
Initial firefighting efforts faced challenges due to high temperatures, dry weather, and strong winds, with a containment rate of just 19 percent by 8 p.m. Monday. Authorities ramped up their response overnight, utilizing two night-flying helicopters, 1,515 personnel, and 398 pieces of firefighting equipment to combat the flames and build firebreaks.
Operations resumed at sunrise Tuesday, significantly boosting the containment rate to 60 percent by 4 a.m. and 92 percent by 10 a.m., aided by calmer morning winds.