Amid the dry weather, South Korea witnessed about 20 wildfires across the nation on Monday, ahead of Arbor Day.

According to the Korea Forest Service, wildfires broke out at about 20 locations nationwide as of 4 p.m. Monday, with ten of the blazes extinguished.  

Fire authorities are struggling to contain the wildfire in Hongseong County in South Chungcheong Province, which broke out on Sunday and prompted the issuance of the highest-level forest fire response. 

The blaze was put out but kept reigniting due to the dry weather and strong winds, with about 58 percent of the fire extinguished as of 4 p.m. The area affected by the fire is estimated at over eleven-hundred hectares, with 67 buildings destroyed. 
 
As for the wildfires in Geumsan in South Chungcheong Province and the Seo-gu area in Daejeon, 79 percent of the fires were contained as of Monday afternoon.

Authorities said that wildfires are spreading as strong winds blow across the country in dry weather, and the simultaneous breakout of the fires are making it difficult to respond.