South Korea Firefighters Deploy Helicopters as Wildfires Reignite

The wildfires ripped through worst-hit North Geyongsang province this week. ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP
The wildfires ripped through worst-hit North Geyongsang province this week. ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP
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South Korea Firefighters Deploy Helicopters as Wildfires Reignite

The wildfires ripped through worst-hit North Geyongsang province this week. ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP
The wildfires ripped through worst-hit North Geyongsang province this week. ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP

South Korean firefighters deployed helicopters Saturday as the country's biggest wildfires on record that ravaged wide areas of its southeast reignited in one of the region's cities, an official said.
More than a dozen fires have been fanned by high winds and dry conditions, killing 29 people and injuring dozens more in southeastern regions, according to government data.
Fires were whipped up again early Saturday in Andong, a city in the worst-hit North Gyeongsang province, forcing authorities to deploy eight helicopters to the area, an official from the Korea Forest Service told AFP.
It came a day after the main fire in the province, where 25 of the 29 victims have died, was extinguished.
"It seems that the remaining embers have flared up a bit," said the official.
"We plan to deploy more helicopters to the area in Andong."
The fires there began on Saturday last week and rolled on for days.
More than 2,900 homes in the region have been completely destroyed, according to the latest figures.
An official said this week that more than 35,000 hectares (86,500 acres) of forest have been burned.
The fire also destroyed several historic sites, including the Gounsa temple complex in the southeastern city of Uiseong, which is believed to have been originally built in the 7th century.
The extent of the damage makes it South Korea's largest-ever wildfire.
Most of the victims in the region were elderly, according to the Korea Forest Service.
Those killed include a pilot in his 70s whose helicopter crashed Wednesday while he was trying to contain a fire.



27 Inmates are Still at Large Following an Israeli Airstrike during the 12-day War, Iran says

In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)
In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)
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27 Inmates are Still at Large Following an Israeli Airstrike during the 12-day War, Iran says

In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)
In this photo taken Tuesday, June 24, 2025, rescuers search through the rubble of a damaged section of Evin Prison following an Israeli strike the day before, in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Mostafa Roudaki/Mizan News Agency)

Iran said Tuesday 27 inmates were still at large after an Israeli airstrike last month targeted Evin prison in the north of the capital, Tehran, local media reported.

The airstrikes were part of Israel’s 12-day bombardment of Iran that killed about 1,100 people. while 28 were left dead in Israel in Iranian retaliatory strikes, The Associated Press said.

Judiciary’s news website, Mizanonline, quoted spokesman Asghar Jahangir as saying 75 prisoners had escaped following the strike, of which 48 were either recaptured or voluntarily returned. He said authorities will detain the others if they don't hand themselves over.

Jahangir said the escapees were prisoners doing time for minor offenses.

Iranian officials said the Israeli strike killed 71 people, but local media reported earlier in July that 80 were left dead at the time, including prison staff, soldiers, inmates and visiting family members. Authorities also said five inmates died.

It’s unclear why Israel targeted the prison. The Israeli Defense Ministry had said that 50 aircraft dropped 100 munitions on military targets “based on high-quality and accurate intelligence from the Intelligence Branch.”

The New York-based Center for Human Rights had criticized Israel for striking the prison, seen as a symbol of repression of any opposition, saying it violated the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets.