The wildfire that started in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, approached within 5.4 kilometers of Andong Hahoe Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on the morning of the 26th.
According to the fire authorities and Andong City in North Gyeongsang Province on the 26th, the wildfire approached within 10 kilometers of Hahoe Village in Pungcheon-myeon, Andong, in the afternoon of the previous day (25th). It subsequently got closer, and as of the morning of the 26th, the wildfire front in the Andong Eodam area was 5.4 kilometers from Hahoe Village. The red glow of distant mountains was also observed from the village overnight.
The fire authorities have deployed eight additional pieces of equipment, including large-capacity water cannons, and personnel overnight to prepare for the spread of the wildfire. The large-capacity water cannon can spray fire-fighting water equivalent to what 26 large fire trucks discharge simultaneously. Using submersible pumps, seawater or river water can be used as fire-fighting water, meaning that water from the Nakdong River, which is adjacent to Hahoe Village, can be used to extinguish the fire.
Hahoe Village is home to many tiled and thatched houses, and the traditional Confucian culture is well preserved, leading to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010. It is a village where the descendants of Ryu Jong-hye, a figure from approximately 600 years ago, have lived since establishing the area. The village is famous as the hometown of Gyeongam Ryu Un-ryong, a philosopher from the Joseon Dynasty, and Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong. The Nakdong River flows and loops around the village in an 'S' shape, giving rise to the name Hahoe (河回).
Additional fire trucks and personnel were deployed at Byeongsan Seowon. Byeongsan Seowon, which is close to Hahoe Village, was included in the list of nine seowon in Korea by the World Heritage Committee in 2019 and has been registered as a World Heritage site. The Nakdong River flows in front of the seowon, with Byeongsan Mountain standing tall, boasting exquisite scenery. The pavilion, Manseru, is the representative structure of this seowon. The cultural heritage authorities moved over ten plaques from Byeongsan Seowon to the Andong World Confucian Culture Museum the previous day.