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The east coast wildfire is spreading for three days.
Although more than 100 firefighting helicopters have been deployed, only 40% of the total wildfires are still under control.
Uljin, Gyeongbuk, and Samcheok, Gangwon were declared special disaster zones.
First, reporter Kim Hye-min reports.
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fire burning along the mountain range.
Fire-fighting helicopters continuously pour water through the thick haze that can't even be seen right in front of you.
The place swept away by fire always shows a miserable appearance.
Farmhouse houses and facilities collapsed, leaving only ashes, and in some places the entire village was burned.
The fire department continued the firefighting operation by sending 104 helicopters and 14,800 personnel.
[Choi Byeong-am / Director of the Korea Forest Service: (The wind) was supposed to change from 6 pm, but from 2 pm the wind changed to the northeast wind, so thick fog covered this side, so it was very difficult to enter the head of the fire…
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The fires at the Uljin-Hanul nuclear power plant and Samcheok LNG base, which were feared, were all extinguished, and the tense hurdle was overcome.
[Choi Byeong-am/Director of the Korea Forest Service: In addition to major nuclear reactors and other major facilities, it succeeded in defending Uljin-eup, a densely populated area, and created a safe situation by completely suppressing the wildfires in Goseong-ri, the outskirts of Uljin-eup.]
So far, a total of about 16,000 ha was burned, and only about 40% of them have been extinguished.
In terms of area, it is the second largest in history since the wildfires on the east coast in 2000.
Fortunately, no casualties have occurred so far, and 463 facilities, including 388 in Uljin, 12 in Gangneung, and 63 in Donghae, have been burned down, and 7,374 residents have been evacuated.
President Moon Jae-in declared Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Samcheok, Gangwon-do as special disaster zones.
(Video coverage: Yang Hyeon-cheol, video editing: Park Chun-bae, helicopter pilot: Min Byeong-ho)