Yeongdeok (South Korea) (AFP) – Overnight rain helped douse some of South Korea’s worst-ever wildfires, authorities said Friday, as the death toll from the unprecedented blazes raging for nearly a week reached 28.

More than a dozen fires have ravaged large areas of the country’s southeast, destroying an ancient temple, and forcing around 37,000 people to evacuate.

The flames blocked roads and knocked out communication lines, causing residents to flee in panic as fireballs rained down on cars stuck in traffic jams to escape the area.

The flames have been fanned by high winds and ultra-dry conditions, with the area experiencing below-average rains for months after South Korea experienced its hottest year on record in 2024.

But overnight Thursday it rained in the affected area, helping firefighters to contain some of the worst blazes.

“The rain that fell from the afternoon into the early morning aided the firefighting efforts,” Korea Forest Service chief Lim Sang-seop said.

The rain “reduced the haze, improving visibility, and the cooler temperatures compared to other days create very favourable conditions for firefighting efforts”, he said.

South Korea’s interior ministry said a total of 28 people had been killed as of Friday morning, and 37 others were injured – nine seriously.

The fatalities include a pilot in his 70s whose helicopter crashed Wednesday while trying to contain a fire, as well as four firefighters and other workers who lost their lives after being trapped by rapidly advancing flames.