South Korea’s March 2025 Wildfires Leave a Scorched Trail

A relentless outbreak of wildfires swept through southern regions of South Korea in March 2025, consuming over 170,000 hectares of land and marking one of the country’s worst fire disasters in modern history.

Beginning around March 21 under dry, gusty conditions, the fires escalated rapidly. Within days, dozens of fires had erupted, with the most destructive blazes emerging near the southeastern city of Andong and spreading to Yeongyang, Uljin, and Cheongsong. Winds stronger than typhoons and mountainous terrain amplified the fires’ speed and unpredictability.

By March 25, satellite thermal anomalies showed the fire had reached all the way to the coastline. With light rain and firefighting efforts helping slow the advance, the fires were largely contained by March 28.

But the destruction left behind was immense.

Satellite Images Reveal the Scale of Destruction

European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellite provided crucial visual confirmation of the fire's extent. Using bands in SWIR (Short-Wave Infrared) and NIR (Near-Infrared), analysts were able to compare pre- and post-fire imagery to detect burned areas and assess environmental damage.

Comparison of NIR satellite images from March 14 and April 8, 2025, highlighting vegetation loss and burn scars caused by the wildfires in South Korea.

RGB satellite image comparison from March 14 and April 8, 2025, showing visible changes in the landscape after the wildfires in South Korea.

The burnt area stretched over 80 kilometers from inland Uiseong to the coast, engulfing forests, farmland, and cultural landmarks.

Human and Cultural Impact

Among the thousands of destroyed structures was Gounsa Temple, a 1,300-year-old heritage site, where a massive bronze bell lay cracked in the ruins. In the UNESCO-listed Hahoe Folk Village, fire retardants were dropped in a desperate attempt to protect its centuries-old thatched homes.

Tragically, at least 26 people were confirmed dead, with many more injured or displaced. Over 30,000 residents, many of them elderly, were forced to flee as the fires surged through rural communities.

Largest Burned Area in South Korean History

To put the scale into context:

• 2022's Uljin fire, previously considered a major disaster, burned just over 17,000 hectares.
• The 10-year average for annual burned area (2015–2024) was approximately 4,000 hectares.

The March 2025 wildfires eclipsed this tenfold, burning more land in a single week than in the previous decade combined.

Suspected Cause and Investigation

Authorities have linked the origin of the fire to an ancestral rite performed by a man in Uiseong County. He has been booked on charges of negligence. While wildfires are common in the region during spring, the speed and scale of these blazes have raised concerns about the growing impact of climate change on fire behavior.

Looking Ahead

South Korea's forest services and emergency management agencies are now turning to advanced remote sensing and climate modeling to prevent future disasters. As the climate continues to warm, experts fear such megafires may become a new norm, not just in South Korea, but around the globe.