SEOUL — Wildfires sweeping through South Korea’s southeastern region have claimed at least 16 lives, forcing thousands to evacuate and destroying neighborhoods. Authorities have also relocated hundreds of prisoners for safety. By 5 a.m. Wednesday (4 a.m. Singapore Time), 12 fatalities were reported from a wildfire in Uiseong County, while four others died due to another fire in Sancheong County, according to the Safety Ministry.

The Uiseong fire remains only 68% contained, spreading rapidly due to strong winds. Lee Byung-doo, a forest disaster expert from the National Institute of Forest Science, described the scale and speed of the fire as “unimaginable.” Acting President Han Duck-soo has pledged to deploy firefighting helicopters and ground crews to combat the fires, which are being fueled by dry weather and gusty winds.

The Safety Ministry warned that dry conditions are expected to persist in the affected areas. Experts, including Lee, predict that climate change will lead to more frequent wildfires, citing similar incidents in Los Angeles earlier this year and a recent blaze in northeast Japan. Among the casualties were four individuals attempting to flee in a vehicle that overturned, resulting in three deaths and one injury, according to Yonhap News Agency. The fires, which began on Saturday in Uiseong, have yet to be fully contained, damaging ancient temples and residential areas. The government has declared the affected regions as special disaster zones, with over 15,000 hectares already burned.