Overview

• The revised damage figure of 90,000 hectares is double the Korea Forest Service's initial estimate of 45,157 hectares.
• The wildfires, which began in March 2025, spread across five cities and counties in North Gyeongsang Province.
• This marks the largest wildfire damage in South Korea's history, nearly quadrupling the 23,794 hectares burned during the 2000 east coast wildfires.
• Forest authorities are preparing to verify the final extent of the burned area and will release conclusive figures in the coming days.
• The disaster has highlighted vulnerabilities in rural disaster preparedness, particularly for aging populations and night-time firefighting efforts.