Pilot Killed After Helicopter Dousing South Korea’s Worst Wildfires Crashes

At least 18 people have been killed in one of South Korea's worst wildfire outbreaks, as multiple blazes broke out in the country's southeastern region over the weekend, causing unprecedented damage. Thousands of firefighters, aided by the military, are working to douse over a dozen different blazes that are fuelled by strong winds and dry weather.

The wildfires have razed entire neighbourhoods, closed schools and forced authorities to transfer hundreds of inmates from prisons. One major fire tore through villages and burned a historical temple to the ground, according to a report by news agency AFP.

The government has, meanwhile, raised the crisis alert to its highest level and declared a "full-scale national response" to bring the fires under control.