Inje hillside wildfire 60% contained overnight

Nov 21, 2025, 09:38 am

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Members of the Korea Forest Service’s aerial firefighting unit work to extinguish a wildfire on a hillside in Girin-myeon, Inje County, Gangwon Province. / Source: Korea Forest Service

A wildfire that broke out around 5:23 p.m. on November 20 on a hillside in Girin-myeon, Inje County, Gangwon Province, was 60 percent contained as of 5:50 a.m. on November 21.

Forest authorities deployed 68 pieces of equipment and 322 personnel through the night in an all-out ground operation, but steep terrain has hampered their efforts.

The affected area is estimated at about 20 hectares, with 1.65 kilometers of the 2.74-kilometer fire line brought under control so far. Authorities plan to deploy 25 firefighting helicopters from 7:13 a.m., at sunrise, to extinguish remaining hot spots and fully contain the blaze.

No casualties have been reported so far.

However, concerns about the fire spreading have forced 12 residents from eight nearby households to evacuate to a village senior center and other shelters.

Earlier, after the burned area exceeded 10 hectares, forest authorities issued Level 1 of the wildfire response at 10 p.m. that day. Once the fire is extinguished, they plan to investigate the exact cause of ignition and the full extent of the damage.

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