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| ▲ A firefighter puts out a wildfire on a hillside in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province, in this photo taken Jan. 10, 2026, and provided by the Gyeongbuk Fire Service Headquarters. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) wildfire-evacuation order
(LEAD) Main blaze in Uiseong wildfire contained
(ATTN: UPDATES with details throughout; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 10 (Yonhap) -- The main blaze of a wildfire that broke out in the southeastern county of Uiseong was contained within three hours, forest service authorities said Saturday.
Authorities issued a Level 2 wildfire response and an evacuation order for residents in a rural area after a wildfire erupted on a hillside in Uiseong, 252 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at around 3:15 p.m., less than a year after a major blaze swept through the area last spring.
"The main blaze was contained at around 6 p.m., when helicopters withdrew from the scene. Firefighters will extinguish the remaining embers overnight," Uiseong County Gov. Kim Joo-soo said.
Strong snowfall in the area around the wildfire site on Saturday afternoon reportedly helped slow the spread of the fire.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
Authorities issued the Level 2 response at 3:41 p.m. and deployed 10 helicopters, 51 fire suppression vehicles and 315 firefighters and other personnel.
The government issued an evacuation order instructing nearby residents to move to their respective village community centers as the fire spread rapidly amid strong winds.
Humidity at the site of the fire was measured at 33 percent.
"An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way, and the government will deploy all available resources to prevent casualties," a forest official said.
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