South Korea wildfires: The lost battle for 1,000-year-old temples

Many homes were destroyed in the South Korean district of Uiseong in the country's east. At least 24 people are believed to have died so far. Almost 9,000 firefighters and more than 130 helicopters have been deployed to tackle the flames. According to authorities, around 5,500 people have had to leave their homes. 43,000 hectares of land have already been destroyed.

Embers smoulder in the rubble after a forest fire destroyed large parts of the Gounsa Temple in Uiseong. The temple was founded in 681 during the Silla Kingdom. Most of the buildings burned to the ground.

Two men secure a Buddha statue in the Bongjeong temple in the city of Andong. There are concerns that the flames could reach this temple as well. South Korea's acting President Han Duck-soo described the destruction as "unprecedented" and called for a comprehensive national response to the disaster.

Firefighters have been battling several fires in the country since last week. Although the emergency services had reported they had largely brought the flames under control, the fires flared up again due to dry conditions and strong winds. Investigators suspect that human error may have caused the fires

A resident stands in front of a sea of flames in Andong. The fires raged particularly fiercely here, as well as in the city of Ulsan and in the districts of Uiseong and Sancheong. The historic Hahoe village, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, is also in danger from the flames.

A helicopter crashed during firefighting operations in Uiseong. According to the Yonhap news agency, the pilot was killed. The Korean Forestry Service stated on Wednesday that, as things stand, no other crew members were on board.

The Unramsa Temple, a historic Buddhist site in South Korea, was completely destroyed by the flames. The building from the Silla dynasty survived unscathed for more than 1,000 years before it fell victim to the third largest wildfire in the country's history.