A fire that started at a factory in Gijang County, Busan, on the 21st spread into a wildfire, and fire authorities are carrying out suppression operations.
According to fire authorities, at about 7:45 p.m. that day, a fire broke out at a tile factory in Cheonggang-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang County, Busan. The blaze spread throughout the factory, which has a total area of about 330㎡, and then moved to a nearby low mountain.
The Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters issued response level 1 at 8:18 p.m. and raised it to level 2 at 9:58 p.m. Response level 2 means deploying personnel and equipment from fire stations in adjacent areas.
It was reported that strong winds are hampering containment efforts. As it has gotten dark, it is difficult to deploy firefighting helicopters to battle the wildfire. A dry weather advisory is also in effect for Busan.
An official at the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters said, "There have been no casualties so far, and we are focusing on preventing continuous spread," and noted, "Helicopters are expected to be deployed after sunrise tomorrow, after 7:30 a.m."