Seoul, Mar 28 (EFE).- South Korean authorities declared devastating wildfires raging in the southeast of the country under control on Friday evening.
The fires, the worst in South Korea’s history, have burned some 48,000 hectares and killed at least 28 people.
The blazes that have been ravaging North Gyeongsang, the hardest hit province, for a week were declared contained at 5 pm, the Korea Forest Service reported.
Better visibility and cooler temperatures from rainfall on Thursday night helped firefighters extinguish the main fires.
Firefighting teams continued working on the blazes in South Gyeongsang province, which were 93 percent contained as of early Friday evening.
The burned forest area is double the 23,794 hectares damaged by the wildfires that ravaged the Asian country’s east coast in 2000, the most devastating to date.
The wave of fires, which spread to neighboring South Gyeongsang, has caused at least 28 deaths, including two firefighters and the pilot of a helicopter that crashed while participating in the extinguishing efforts, in addition to 37 injured.
The spread of the fires led to the temporary evacuation of some 38,000 people, according to the agency.
Some 5,580 firefighters and military personnel took part on Friday in containment and extinguishing efforts in Uiseong, the most damaged county, where 86 helicopters and 569 fire trucks were also deployed.
The fires have damaged at least 30 cultural heritage sites in the country, including the Yakgye Pavilion in Andong county, the Gigokjesa ritual house in Cheongsong county, both built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), and the Manjang Temple in Uiseong, which dates back to the Unified Silla period (668–918).
North Gyeongsang Province, home to much of the country’s historical heritage, has numerous ancient temples, traditional clan houses, and Confucian academies.
Officials at the historical sites have sought to secure the treasures housed there in recent days as the flames spread.
A man in his 50s, believed to have accidentally started the fire, will be summoned to testify next week for an alleged violation of the Forest Protection Act, local news agency Yonhap reported.
Local authorities believe the man caused the initial blaze, which broke out on Saturday morning, while performing an ancestral ritual at a relative’s grave located on a hill in Uiseong, despite a warning for strong winds and dry weather, which contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze.
At least 24 people have died and 25 have been injured in that province alone, where more than 45,000 hectares of land have been burned, out of a total of 48,000.
The investigation into the man will focus on whether his actions constituted a violation of the Forest Protection Act and whether he may have committed any criminal offenses or offenses against the protection of cultural heritage, given the number of victims and the extensive damage caused to cultural assets and other property. EFE
rvb-mra/pd
