Uiseong: Wildfires in the southeastern county of Uiseong are becoming increasingly difficult to control due to unpredictable strong winds and extremely dry weather conditions, government officials reported. The fire extinguishing rate in the area has gradually decreased, causing concern among firefighting teams.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the forest area affected by the wildfires in Uiseong, located about 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul, expanded by over 4,000 hectares overnight, reaching a total of 12,699 hectares by early Tuesday morning. This increase came despite comprehensive firefighting efforts by authorities.

The Korea Forest Service indicated that Uiseong's fire extinguishing rate declined from 60 percent on Monday evening to 54 percent by 9 a.m. Tuesday. The combination of strong winds and dry weather is significantly hindering firefighting operations.

Officials noted that the ongoing forest fire is causing exhaustion among firefighters. A firefighter from the Sangju Fire Station was taken to the hospital on Monday afternoon after experiencing dizziness and vomiting during operations in Uiseong.

To combat the spread of the wildfires, authorities plan to deploy 77 helicopters and 3,154 personnel in Uiseong. The fires have now reached the adjacent city of Andong, prompting further concern.