South Korea Wildfires Force Mass Evacuations

With thousands displaced and record-breaking damage, ADRA Korea launches emergency relief.

Mar 31, 2025, 6:15 AM

Massive wildfires that erupted on March 21 across South Korea’s Yeongnam region—including Uiseong in North Gyeongsang Province and Sancheong in South Gyeongsang Province—have destroyed numerous homes and forced hundreds of residents into emergency shelters.

Among the displaced are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, regional leaders say.

The fires, which remain active, have caused extensive damage, with the full scope expected to increase as firefighting efforts continue.

According to South Korea’s Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, as of 6 a.m. on March 27, 2025, the wildfires had resulted in 56 casualties: 26 confirmed deaths, eight seriously injured, and 22 with minor injuries across the affected Gyeongsang region.

Several families connected directly or indirectly to the Adventist Church have suffered severe losses. A lay leader from the Middle West Korean Conference—one of the regional administrative units of the church—lost a second home used for rural living in Sancheong.

Additionally, two homes belonging to individuals studying the church’s teachings were destroyed. Reports state that a child of a church member, though not a regular attendee, also lost their home and associated storage facilities. A new believer preparing for baptism reported partial destruction to their residence, with the main living area spared but both front and back sections heavily damaged.

In Yujeom, approximately 20 members of the local Adventist congregation evacuated to a nearby shelter. While no significant damage was reported to the church building or members’ primary homes, the fire claimed a cold storage unit, a farming cultivator, and several fruit trees.

Elsewhere, three Adventist believers residing in the Okjong area have taken refuge in a local evacuation center. Two of them have since been advised to prepare for additional relocation due to ongoing fire threats.

The total forest area affected by the wildfires has reached 36,090 hectares, surpassing the previous national record of 23,794 hectares set in 2000. Fires originating in Sancheong remain uncontained after more than a week of continuous firefighting, and this disaster is now expected to become the most extensive wildfire event in South Korea’s history.

In response, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Korea has partnered with its regional branch in Yeongnam to conduct a rapid needs assessment and deliver emergency aid. Relief efforts include the distribution of food, medical supplies, and daily necessities to those who have lost their homes.

ADRA Korea has called on churches and members across the nation to support the initiative through both prayer and active participation.

The original article was published on the Northern Asia-Pacific Division news site. March 30, 2025