Wildfire-hit North Gyeongsang residents set to receive $200 each from provincial government

The North Gyeongsang provincial government said Friday that it will offer 300,000 won ($200) per resident affected by the wildfire ravaging the province.

Displaced residents from Yeongyang County in North Gyeongsang are seen inside a public shelter on March 28. [YONHAP]

The North Gyeongsang provincial government said Friday that it will offer 300,000 won ($200) per resident affected by the wildfire ravaging the province.

Around 270,000 residents from five localities are expected to receive the emergency disaster relief fund.

The Uiseong fire began last Saturday and has since spread to the nearby city of Andong and the counties of Uiseong, Cheongsong, Yeongdeok and Yeongyang — the five regions eligible for the subsidy.

As of Friday morning, the fire had burned 45,157 hectares — equivalent to 63,601 football pitches.

During a briefing on Friday, North Gyeongsang Gov. Lee Cheol-woo said the province will swiftly provide “modular housings for displaced people as a temporary residential facility.”

Evacuees will stay in state-run and corporate-owned training centers and accommodations such as hotels and resorts until the modular housing becomes available, according to the provincial government.

The local government also pledged to create a new residential town for those whose homes were destroyed and villages devastated by the wildfire.

Additionally, the provincial government announced plans to improve its wildfire response system and evacuation guidelines. Measures will include the deployment of fire-extinguishing drones and unmanned robots, as well as the development of specialized fire engines for mountainous regions.

As of Friday morning, the Uiseong fire had been 85 percent contained.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]