Authorities struggle to extinguish forest fire in Jeongseon

JEONGSEON, South Korea, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- Firefighters and government authorities struggled Saturday to put out a forest fire in a mountain in the northeastern county of Jeongseon, with their efforts hamstrung by strong winds and rough terrain.

The authorities deployed 11 helicopters, drones and other equipment, as well as 212 personnel from the Korea Forest Service, fire services and police, to extinguish the fire that started in Mount Nochu in the county, some 210 kilometers east of Seoul, at around 3:50 p.m.

The personnel accelerated efforts to extinguish the fire, but their endeavors were impeded by winds of up to 6.2 meters per second, and rough mountain terrains, officials said.

"There is a high risk of fire due to dry weather and strong winds. There needs to be extra care to prevent forest fire," an official from the Korea Forest Service.

The extent of damage from the fire has yet to be analyzed.

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