Overview

• The wildfires, which began March 22-23, have claimed 27 lives, injured dozens, and forced the evacuation of over 37,000 people.
• Spanning 35,810 hectares, the fires are the most destructive in South Korea's history, surpassing the damage of the 2000 wildfires.
• Strong winds and severe drought conditions, with affected areas receiving half their average seasonal rainfall, continue to hinder containment efforts.
• Two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Hahoe and Byeongsan Seowon, remain at risk as firefighters deploy water and fire retardants to protect them.
• Thousands of firefighters and soldiers, along with U.S. military helicopter support, are engaged in the response, with expected rainfall later today potentially aiding containment.