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On the afternoon of the 5th, a fire broke out in a mountain in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, burning houses and warehouses and is still spreading.
More than 20 residents were evacuated, and all-out firefighting work is continuing.
This is TBC reporter Lee Hyuk-dong.
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Smoke covered the mountain from the forest fire.
Helicopters are constantly pouring out water to extinguish the fire.
The fire, which started at about 1:30 pm today, in Hwacheon-ri, Bonghwa-eup, Bonghwa-gun, has spread to the hillside, burning 80ha of forest land, a house nearby, and a warehouse.
The forestry and firefighting authorities are working on firefighting with 20 firefighting helicopters and 500 manpower.
However, strong winds of 10 m/s blow and the direction of the wind changes frequently, making it difficult to evolve.
[Lee In-jung / Chief of Yeongju Fire Department: 23 helicopters are being mobilized, including those of the Korea Forest Service.
Volunteer fire brigade and all personnel are deployed on site.
We will try to suppress it early.]
Bonghwa-gun urgently evacuated about 20 people from 10 or so households of nearby villages to the village hall.
[Lee Young-ok / Socheon-ri, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do: It is difficult to breathe because the smoke is so thick, and the mountains in front and back are on fire, so there is no time to forcibly pack clothes (evacuated.)]
To prevent the overnight wildfire from spreading, the forestry authorities are building defense lines in the seabed and in Susik-ri, and putting in all-out efforts to extinguish the fire by dispatching special firefighters from the city/county and the Korea Forest Service.
In addition, as wildfires continued to spread across the country, a forest fire crisis warning 'warning' was issued.
(Video coverage: Kim Kyung-wook TBC, video courtesy: Korea Forest Service)