The forest fire that occurred in Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province, has continued for five days, spreading to nearby areas such as Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok in northern Gyeongsang Province.
As the fire rapidly spread due to a phenomenon called 'backfire' propelled by the wind, evacuation orders were issued to all residents in Andong and Cheongsong. Nearby cities and counties also evacuated residents in the towns and villages where the fire had spread. Despite the evacuation orders, forest authorities reported that 18 people had died due to the Uiseong forest fire by that day.
Around 1 p.m. on the 26th, a firefighting helicopter that was extinguishing the Uiseong forest fire crashed, resulting in the death of one helicopter pilot, leading to a suspension of forest fire helicopter operations nationwide.
Photos and videos capturing firefighters battling the forest fire and the horrors of the fire scene are spreading across online communities. A 15-second video titled "firefighter body cam at the wildfire scene" features eight firefighters wearing firefighting gear labeled with 'Gyeongsangbuk-do.'
They huddle and take cover as debris, appearing to be charred remnants of the fire, swirls around them amidst black smoke while they gather equipment like fire hoses. A netizen who viewed the video remarked, "It's a hellish landscape like something out of a movie."
Another video captures the forest fire from inside a moving vehicle. The flames engulf both sides of the car as well as the area above the tunnel ahead. Just before entering the tunnel, flames can be seen soaring over the guardrails on the right side of the road. The screen is obscured by fire and smoke, making it hard to see even a short distance ahead.
In another video, a forest fire is seen raging behind a parking lot of a golf course in Andong. The netizen who posted the video, who works as a caddy at the golf course, noted that the course had not canceled reservations for customers that day, leading some to continue golfing and almost resulting in a serious incident.
Aerial photos have also surfaced. The image shows flames lapping right up to the city presumed to be Andong. The flames appear to encircle the outskirts of the town. The writer commented, "Andong besieged." However, the time, location, and source of these images and videos have not been specified.