It took eight hours and nearly 3,000 firefighters to put out the blaze that started on a mountain in a central part of Gangneung at around 8:30 a.m.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said winds in the Gangneung area were blowing at 103 kilometers per hour. The strong winds also forced railroad operators to cancel at least a dozen passenger trains between Gangneung and other eastern coastal cities like Donghae and Samcheok.
The fire covered more than 379 hectares . Firefighters during the earlier part of their response focused on establishing barriers to prevent the flames from spreading to more populated areas of Gangneung. Photos showed firefighters spraying water toward burning homes and buildings and large, orange flames engulfing a pine forest near a seaside resort hotel. The Korea Forest Service said that the fire was likely sparked by a tree that fell over a powerline after being snapped by strong winds.
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