S. Korea wildfires kill 24, firefighting helicopter crashes

UISEONG COUNTY, South Korea — The death toll in the wildfires raging across South Korea's southeastern region rose to 24 and the pilot of a firefighting helicopter was killed when the aircraft crashed on Wednesday, as the country battles some of its worst forest fires in decades.

The deadly wildfires have spread rapidly and forced more than 27,000 residents to flee their homes, the government said. The blazes, fueled by strong winds and dry weather, have razed entire neighborhoods, closed schools and forced authorities to transfer hundreds of inmates from prisons.

"We are deploying all available personnel and equipment in response to the worst wildfires ever, but the situation is not good," acting President Han Duck-soo said.