South Korea Declares National Crisis Over Wildfires

South Korea is battling its worst-ever wildfires, which have claimed at least 26 lives and forced over 27,000 people to evacuate. The blazes, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions, have destroyed more than 36,000 hectares of land, surpassing the previous record set by the 2000 east coast wildfire. Critical infrastructure, including historic temples, homes, and factories, has been incinerated, with Uiseong county being particularly hard-hit. The Korean government has deployed thousands of personnel and over 130 helicopters to combat the fires, but efforts are hampered by challenging weather conditions. Human error is suspected in the ignition of some of the fires, raising concerns about emergency response capabilities. Acting President Han Duck-soo has declared the situation a national crisis, emphasizing the need for all available resources to quell the fires.