The South Korean city of Daegu on Monday ordered over 1,200 residents to evacuate after strong winds whipped up a wildfire and triggered the closure of a highway in the area due to concerns about the blaze.
The Korea Forest Service said in a statement that the wildfire reportedly began at around 2 p.m. (0500 GMT) and had affected an estimated 50 hectares (123.6 acres) in less than two hours due to dry conditions and constant winds.
At the time of filing this report, no casualties has been recorded.
According to the Korea Forest Service, 26 helicopters and 202 firefighting personnel were deployed to the site, while a section of the Gyeongbu highway was closed.
DAILY POST recalls that South Korea in March suffered the country's worst ever natural fire disaster, with nearly 30 people killed and historic temples incinerated.
