[안동 연결] Residents awake all night… “Evolution rate estimated at 30%”

I will connect the site to see if the flames were caught, and if there are any injured people at night. Reporter Jung Joon-ho is at the scene of a forest fire in Andong, Gyeongbuk.

I can see the flames behind reporter Jung. Did you catch some flames during the night?

<기자>

I am now at the fire site in Andong, Gyeongbuk.

During the night, the flames did not expand further.

On the night of the 21st, the fire department and the Forest Service estimated an extinguishing rate of around 30%, but it is believed that the wind has faded from the evening and the extinguishing rate has increased due to constant extinguishing work.

Authorities have estimated that about 200 hectares of forest have been lost to date, and focused on not causing any casualties during nighttime situations.

Fire trucks were deployed near the village to prevent the spread of fire and at the same time focused on removing residual fire.

The fire department plans to catch my fire in the morning by putting 23 helicopters in at around 7:00 a little later.

<앵커>

Reporter Jung, would you have been worried about the residents a lot overnight?

<기자>

Yes, the residents were surprised by the news of the sudden fire.

Some residents stayed up all night while evacuating to the town hall.

Let’s listen to the stories of the villagers.

[박왕기/안동 임동면 사월리 : 그때 5시쯤 돼서 불길이 소방차 뒤에 불이 엄청 올라왔거든. 막 무슨 폭탄 터지는 것처럼. 팍팍 터졌거든. 걱정스러워서 죽겠습니다. 지금…뜬눈으로 (집에) 가야죠.]

About 350 residents of Jungpyeong-ri village escaped from the flames, distant relatives and acquaintances, and village halls.

About 100 residents of nearby Sawol-ri village also evacuated to a nearby campsite last night as the fire spread.

Route 34, which was controlled, is now accessible, but access to the villages of Jungpyeong-ri and Sawol-ri, where there is a risk of fire, are still restricted.