A visitor to the ancestral grave site accidentally caused a large wildfire in Uiseong... Residents say, "We've never seen a fire like this in our lifetime."

Amidst a series of large wildfires occurring simultaneously across the country, the cause of the large wildfire that occurred in Uiseong, Gyeongbuk on the 22nd has been confirmed to be due to a fire caused by visitors performing ancestral rites.

The Uiseong wildfire started at around 11:24 a.m. on the 22nd on a hillside in Goe-san-ri, Anpyeong-myeon, Uiseong-gun. The flames, carried by strong winds, quickly spread and covered residential houses, utility poles, and power lines in Cheolpa-ri, Uiseong-eup, then rapidly expanded to the surrounding areas.

A representative from Uiseong County stated, "The wildfire on the hillside in Goe-san-ri was caused by a fire set by a memorial visitor, who directly reported to 119 that 'I set the fire while tidying up the grave.'" They added, "As the wildfire spread, there is a smell of smoke even inside the Uiseong County Office building."

The Uiseong wildfire spread overnight due to the unpredictable wind, extending the entire fire line to 64 kilometers.

According to the Ulsan Forest Service's wildfire command center at the Uiseong wildfire site, as of 7 a.m. on the 23rd, the affected area was estimated to be 1,802 hectares, with 62.7 km of remaining fire lines, and a containment rate of 2.8% (1.3 km of fire lines fully contained).

The forestry authorities mobilized 51 helicopters, 4,790 personnel from firefighting teams, fire departments, and police, along with 670 pieces of equipment at dawn to combat the fire. However, strong gusts of wind frequently blow on the site, making it likely to take some time to achieve complete suppression.

A total of 1,221 residents from 35 villages and 639 households in Uiseong have evacuated to Uiseong Indoor Gymnasium and other shelters.

According to Yonhap News Agency reports, residents met at the shelter said, "I've never seen a fire like this in my eighty years," and expressed frustration, saying, "I had to leave my house in a rush without even grabbing a single belonging."

Because of one real person, 1,221 people evacuated...

What did you do to cause such a big fire... Sigh... It's so frustrating...