South Korean authorities have identified a man in his 50s as the suspected cause of the country’s largest wildfire, which has claimed at least 26 lives. The fire, which ravaged southeastern Uiseong County on March 22, was believed to have been sparked by the man while performing an ancestral ritual at a family grave, according to police.
The devastating blaze burned approximately 48,000 hectares (119,000 acres) of land, destroying an estimated 4,000 buildings, including historic temples. Tens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate, and the destruction prompted widespread calls for reforms to better manage such disasters, which experts attribute to worsening climate change.
While the man has denied the allegations, authorities are still verifying evidence. The fire was largely contained by Friday, though firefighters continued to battle hotspots into Saturday. Over the past week, wildfires across South Korea have left at least 30 people dead.
As the country faces ongoing fire threats, with another blaze reported near Suncheonsi on Sunday, authorities have deployed extensive firefighting resources, including fire engines, helicopters, and hundreds of personnel, to combat the crisis.
