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South Korea uses weather break to try and contain deadly wildfires

South Korea uses weather break to try and contain deadly wildfires

The light rain brought some relief to South Korean authorities who are battling the worst wildfires in country history. Firefighters were exhausted and made another effort on Friday to control blazes that stretched 70 km (44miles).

In the last week, strong winds have caused fires to spread from the central Uiseong County all the way down to the coastal areas.

Uiseong reported that fires were extinguished in 95% the area by early Friday morning. According to the Korea Forest Service, flames have also been extinguished in 85% the Andong city which contains UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Yeongdeok County on the east coast is still fighting the flames. Nearly a third of its area was still burning. The fire had spread more than 70 kilometers in less than 12 hours.

Forest Service spokesman Kim Jong Gun said that light rain less than 3mm (0.12 inches) had fallen in certain parts of the region on Thursday. This "little help" was provided by this rainfall, he added.

He said that firefighters and helicopters took advantage of the better weather and visibility to push forward and make progress, before the winds pick up later in Friday.

The fires that started in Uiseong are now the largest forest fires in South Korea history. They have destroyed an area equal to two-thirds the size of Singapore.

Other regions of South Korea also experienced large-scale wildfires.

The safety ministry reported that more than 80 helicopters began flying to dump water at dawn on Friday. South Korea uses helicopters to combat forest fires due to its mountainous terrain. On Wednesday, a helicopter pilot was killed after crashing into a fire while attempting to fight it.

Experts say that the Uiseong Fire showed an unusually large spread and speed. They also predict that wildfires will become more deadly and frequent as a result of climate change.

Wildfires in North Gyeongsang Province have forced more than 30,000 people to flee their homes. They also destroyed historic temples, as well as many homes. Jack Kim wrote the story in Andong, while Minwoo Park reported from Andong. Daewoung Kim was responsible for reporting. Ed Davies, Sonali Paul, and Ed Davies edited.

(source: Reuters)