South Korea is in uphill battle to contain massive wildfires as the death toll rises to 26

 Multiple wildfires raging across South Korea’s southern regions for days have killed 26 people and destroyed more than 300 structures, officials said, as thousands of personnel and dozens of helicopters were mobilized again Thursday to battle the the county’s worst-ever blazes.

Korea Forest Service chief Lim Sang-seop said “a small amount” - less than 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) - of rain was expected in the area on Thursday, not enough to play a meaningful role in extinguishing the wildfires.

The fatalities include a pilot whose helicopter crashed during efforts to contain a fire and four firefighters and other workers who died after being trapped by fast-moving flames driven by strong winds.

Authorities haven’t disclosed details of the civilian dead, except that they are mostly in their 60s and 70s. They suspect human error caused several of the wildfires that began last Friday, including cases where people started fires while clearing overgrown grass from family tombs or with sparks during welding work.

The wildfires have burned 35,810 hectares (88,488 acres) of land in the southeast, the government’s disaster response center said in a report Thursday. Observers say that’s the worst figure of its kind in South Korea. The report said the blazes have also injured nearly 30 people, destroyed about 320 buildings and structures and forced more than 24,200 people to evacuate.

As of Thursday morning, the center said authorities were mobilizing more than 9,000 people and about 120 helicopters to battle the wildfires.

“Damages are snowballing,” acting President Han Duck-soo said in a televised address Wednesday. “There are concerns that we’ll have wildfire damages that we’ve never experienced, so we have to concentrate all our capabilities on putting out the wildfires this week.”

Hardest-hit areas are Andong city and neighboring counties of Uiseong and Sancheong, and the city of Ulsan.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-wildfires-dead-ee28d61627d2c7de7cc1d421b65b08fd

Comprehension

How many people have died due to the wildfires in South Korea?
What has been destroyed by the fires so far?
How many hectares of land have the wildfires burned?
What is one reason why the wildfires are spreading so quickly?
How many people have been forced to evacuate?
What is the role of the Korea Forest Service in managing the crisis?
Why is the expected rainfall not very helpful in extinguishing the fires?
What caused some of the wildfires, according to authorities?
How many helicopters and personnel are being used to fight the fires?
Which areas have been hit hardest by the wildfires?

Discussion

How do wildfires impact the environment and communities?
What do you think South Korea can do to prevent wildfires in the future?
How should governments prepare for natural disasters like wildfires?
What challenges do firefighters and emergency responders face during such disasters?
Why do you think people continue to start fires for reasons like clearing land, despite the risks?
What are some of the long-term effects of wildfires on local economies and agriculture?
How can technology help in wildfire prevention and control?
Have wildfires occurred in your country? How were they handled?
What role does climate change play in increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires?
If you had to evacuate because of a natural disaster, what are the most important things you would take with you?

Vocabulary

Wildfire – A large, uncontrolled fire that spreads quickly through forests or grasslands.
Extinguish – To put out a fire or stop something from burning.
Fatality – A death caused by an accident or disaster.
Mobilize – To organize and prepare people or resources for action.
Evacuate – To move people to a safer place due to danger.
Disaster – A sudden event causing great damage or loss.
Hectare – A unit of land measurement (1 hectare = 10,000 square meters).
Blaze – A large and intense fire.
Contain – To control or limit something, especially a fire or crisis.
Response – The action taken to deal with a situation or emergency.