The "monster forest fire" in the Yeongnam region has spread indiscriminately for a week, making it the worst forest fire ever. In North Gyeongsang Province, the extent of damage is expected to be greater in the future as the forest fire-affected areas are still widely spread in the northeast region to Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on the 27th, starting with Sancheong, Gyeongsangnam-do on the 21st, there were a total of 11 medium and large forest fire areas as of 6 p.m., and the total area of damage was 38,665ha. Of these, Gyeongsangbuk-do suffered 35,697 hectares of damage, 92% of the total. This is more than half of Seoul's total area and is equivalent to 50,000 soccer fields. It is more than 10,000 hectares larger than the 23,794 hectares damaged by the East Coast wildfires in 2000, which were recorded as the worst ever.

The Gyeongbuk wildfire began in Uiseong and swept to the east coast at a speed of 8.2km per hour, the highest ever. Previously, the wildfires with the fastest spread speed were the 2019 Sokcho and Goseong wildfires in Gangwon Province, which spread 5.2 kilometers per hour. As of 8 p.m. that day, 28 people were killed and 32 were seriously injured. Casualties are also the highest since wildfire casualties statistics were compiled in 1987. There are currently 8,536 people displaced. The number of buildings damaged reached 2,639, of which about 2,500 houses were damaged, accounting for 95% of the total.

Acting President Han Deok-soo declared Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok, where forest fires are severely damaged, as special disaster areas.

[Reporter Woosung]