Death toll from South Korea wildfires rises to 26

The number of people killed in South Korea’s wildfires has risen to 26, with at least 30 others injured, as firefighting efforts continue across multiple regions, according to officials.

As of 6 a.m. local time on Wednesday, the death toll has risen to 26, while 8 people have been seriously injured, and 22 have resulted with minor injuries, according to Yonhap, citing the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH).

The majority of the casualties were in North Gyeongsang, with 22 deaths and 19 injuries. South Gyeongsang reported 4 deaths and 9 injuries, while Ulsan reported 2 minor injuries.

The wildfires, which began on March 22 in Uiseong, have spread rapidly through North Gyeongsang Province and other regions, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions.

Fires have been confirmed in several cities and counties, including Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, Yeongdeok, and into neighboring Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang Province) and Ulsan.

Authorities estimate that the fires have destroyed at least 36,000 hectares (roughly 89,000 acres) of forest land, according to Yonhap. This surpasses the total size area of the 2000 East Coast wildfires, which burned 23,794 hectares and had previously been considered the largest in South Korean history.

As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, 10 large-scale wildfire zones were still actively burning, and evacuation efforts remain ongoing.

More than 37,000 residents have been evacuated, with nearly 30,000 of them from Uiseong and Andong—the two most severely impacted areas. While 20,485 people have returned home, approximately 16,700 remain displaced.

The South Korean government has maintained the highest-level national wildfire alert and designated the affected areas as special disaster zones. Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fires, with several cases suspected to involve human error.