S. Korea wildfires double in size as toll rises to 27

Wildfires raging in South Korea doubled in size on Thursday from a day earlier, as authorities collected the blazed country’s worst natural fire disaster which at least 27 people killed and historic temples incinerated.

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More than 33,000 hectares have been charred or were still burning in the largest of the fires that began in the central Uljin county, making it the biggest single forest fire in South Korea’s history.

The previous record was 24,000 hectares in a March 2000 fire.

“We are in a critical situation because of the unprecedented rapid spread of forest fires,” Acting President Han Duck-soo told a government response meeting.

The military has released stocks of aviation fuel to help keep firefighting helicopters flying to douse flames across mountainous regions in the southeast of the country where tires have been burning now for nearly a week.

More than 80 helicopters have been deployed in three regions battling the blazes, the safety ministry said.