South Korea orders nationwide firefighting mobilization to battle Gyeongju wildfire

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea’s national fire agency ordered a nationwide mobilization of firefighting personnel and equipment Sunday to contain a wildfire burning in the city of Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang province, local media reported.

The agency deployed 119 special response units from five regions, including Daegu, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gangwon province and South Chungcheong province, according to local broadcaster KBS World.

Firefighter recovery vehicles were also dispatched from Ulsan, Daegu and Busan to Gyeongju, where the wildfire broke out Saturday.

The Korea Forest Service said it activated a Level One wildfire response posture Sunday as the blaze remained uncontained.

Authorities said the fire was 23% contained as of noon and had burned about 42 hectares of land.