Wildfire erupts in Gwangyang, prompting evacuation order

A wildfire erupted in Gwangyang, South Jeolla, on Wednesday afternoon, prompting fire authorities to escalate their response and order nearby residents to evacuate as dry weather and gusty winds fueled the blaze.

A wildfire blazes in the Mount Baegun area in Gwangyang, South Jeolla, on Jan. 21. [NEWS1]

A wildfire erupted in Gwangyang, South Jeolla, on Wednesday afternoon, prompting fire authorities to escalate their response and order nearby residents to evacuate as dry weather and gusty winds fueled the blaze.

Forestry and fire authorities deployed 19 helicopters and 31 fire engines to contain the blaze, officials said. Dry conditions and strong winds continued to hamper firefighting efforts. Average wind speeds in the Gwangyang area reached 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) per second as of press time.

Fire authorities raised the emergency response level from Level 1 to Level 2 at 4:31 p.m. and sent emergency text alerts urging residents in nearby areas to evacuate to village community centers and other safe locations.

A Level 2 posture applies when a wildfire is expected to affect between 50 and 100 hectares and authorities anticipate bringing the blaze under control within 48 hours.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY SHIN HYE-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]