Authorities resumed efforts at dawn on Thursday to combat the massive wildfires that started in Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, and quickly spread to the northern parts of the province. 

Forest authorities began to mobilize helicopters, firefighting vehicles and personnel at 6:30 a.m. on the sixth day of the wildfire emergency.

With the fires subsiding overnight near two UNESCO World Heritage sites in the city of Andong, Hahoe Folk Village and Byeongsan Seowon, the authorities plan to deploy helicopters to the surrounding areas on Thursday to protect these cultural landmarks. 

As of 7 a.m. Thursday, the authorities planned to mobilize about 80 helicopters, some 700 pieces of equipment and over 46-hundred personnel. 

The Korea Forest Service said the wildfires were affecting around 16-thousand hectares in the counties of Cheongsong, Yeongyang and Yeongdeok as of 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The damage in Uiseong and Andong is so extensive that the authorities have yet to present estimates, but the total figure for the five cities and counties is believed to be more than 30-thousand hectares.