(5th LD) Emergency response order issued over Daegu fire; 3 schools to close over safety concerns
(ATTN: RECASTS headline; RESTRUCTURES; UPDATES with more details)
DAEGU, April 28 (Yonhap) — The National Fire Agency (NFA) issued an emergency response order Monday to mobilize available national personnel and equipment to put out a fire spreading in the southeastern city of Daegu, officials said.
The NFA issued the order about two hours after the blaze began around 2 p.m. on Mount Hamji in the city some 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul and was spreading toward nearby villages.
Under the emergency order, the fire authorities have mobilized 28 additional fire engines to aid efforts to extinguish the blaze on top of 67 fire engines and 29 fire helicopters that had already been in operation, according to the officials.
No casualties have been reported so far, but some 3,400 residents have evacuated to local elementary schools.
The Korea Forest Service also issued a Level 3 wildfire response, the highest in its three-tier scale, as strong winds continued to spread the flames.
A Level 3 response is issued when wind speeds exceed 7 meters per second, the expected damage area is over 100 hectares and firefighting efforts are expected to last over 24 hours.
As of 8 p.m., some 151 hectares of land had been affected by the fire, with the containment rate reaching 19 percent, according to fire authorities.
A wildfire on Mount Hamji in Daegu, some 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul, spreads toward nearby villages on April 28, 2025. (Yonhap)
Acting President Han Duck-soo ordered related authorities to “use all available equipment and personnel” to extinguish the fire and help people evacuate to safety.
“As the wildfire is spreading rapidly due to strong winds and there are residential areas nearby, make sure to take all necessary measures for emergency rescue and evacuation to prevent any loss of life,” he said.
The Daegu city government said the fire is suspected to have started in a restricted mountain access area and it plans to investigate the exact cause once the firefighting efforts are completed.
Meanwhile, two elementary schools and one middle school in the area announced they will temporarily close Tuesday due to safety concerns.
Firefighters try to put out a fire on Mount Hamji in Daegu, some 230 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on April 28, 2025. (Yonhap)
hague@yna.co.kr
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